New Pokemon Go Halloween Event Confirmed Following Leak

Niantic kicked off Pokemon Go's October festivities with an event dedicated to Psychic Pokemon, but it looks like a Halloween event is also in the cards this month. Dataminer Chrales has discovered dialogue in Pokemon Go's network traffic suggesting that Halloween-themed items and clothing are on the way, as is a new Special Research quest. [Update: Niantic has confirmed that Pokemon Go's Halloween event is returning, and it will include a Special Research task to get Spiritomb.]

Up until now, each Special Research quest in Pokemon Go has led to an encounter with a Mythical Pokemon, but according to Chrales' latest discovery, it appears the next one revolves around Spiritomb--a Ghost/Dark Pokemon introduced in Gen 4. With Halloween just around the corner, Spiritomb is a fitting choice to add to the game, and it appears one aspect of its quest will involve capturing 108 Pokemon--a reference to Spiritomb's Pokedex entry, which says it was formed out of 108 spirits.

In addition to the Special Research quest, Chrales has found data for a new Gengar-themed hat, backpack, and shirt, as well as clothing options based on Drifloon, Drifblim, and Mismagius--three other Ghost Pokemon first introduced in Gen 4. This presumably means those three monsters will also begin appearing in the game during the Halloween event, although Niantic has yet to confirm this.

Niantic has hosted a Halloween event for Pokemon Go every year since the game first launched back in 2016. During last year's event, players had their first chance to capture Gen 3 Ghost Pokemon such as Sableye, Duskull, and Banette, as well as a special Pikachu wearing a witch's hat. The developer also typically offers other bonuses during its Halloween event, such as double the usual amount of Candy for capturing or transferring Pokemon.

October has been a particularly busy month for Pokemon Go. Niantic recently rolled out the first wave of Gen 4 Pokemon in the game, so players around the world can now catch the Sinnoh starters Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup, as well as a handful of other Sinnoh-native Pokemon in the wild. However, three Gen 4 monsters--Pachirisu, Chatot, and Carnivine--are exclusive to certain areas; here's where you can find them.