Pokemon Sword & Shield gets spooky Max Raid event perfect for Halloween

allister in max raid battle in pokemon sword & shieldGame Freak / The Pokemon Company

[jwplayer ghtn855A]Pokemon Sword & Shield’s Max Raid event for October has been announced, and will feature popular Ghost-type Gengar. The spooky monster’s G-Max battle is the perfect way to get in the mood for the Halloween season.

For its eighth generation title Sword & Shield, the Pokemon franchise introduced players to the Galar region which is largely based on the UK. The RPG included new features such as Dynamaxing and online Raid battles.

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While the Nintendo Switch title doesn’t officially have holiday-themed celebrations in-game, this month’s Ghost-based Max Raid event is perfect for Halloween.

gigantamax gengarGame Freak / The Pokemon Company
The popular Ghost’s G-Max form will be the focus of Sword & Shield’s October Raid event.

Sword & Shield gets spooky October Raid event

While many Trainers may have already captured the ‘mon’s giant form, those who have missed out are in luck as Sword & Shield’s Raid Event this October is based on the ghostly creature.

Introduced in Gen I, Gengar has been a fan favorite since its debut in 1996. According to its Pokedex entry, the Ghost-type is said to “emerge from darkness to steal the lives of those who become lost in mountains.”

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If that isn’t spooky enough, its G-Max form in Sword & Shield is even creepier, and states, “It lays traps, hoping to steal the lives of those it catches. If you stand in front of its mouth, you’ll hear your loved ones’ voices calling out to you.”

gengar raid battle in pokemon sword & shieldGame Freak / The Pokemon Company
Gengar’s G-Max form is actually kind of terrifying.

Pokemon Sword & Shield October raid event details

The event starts on October 1 and runs to the 31st. During this period, many Ghost and Dark types will be roaming Galar’s dens. The Pokemon that will be featured are listed below:

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  • Gengar (G-Max form)
  • Grimmsnarl (G-Max form)
  • Haunter
  • Drifblim
  • Duskull
  • Impidimp
  • Deino
  • Morpeko
  • Dusknoir
  • Morgem
  • Zweilous

While this isn’t an official Halloween event, it’s better than nothing. Plus not every Trainer may have caught a G-Max version of Gengar or Grimmsnarl yet,  making this a welcome second chance.

Despite only releasing at the end of 2019, Sword & Shield had already become the third highest-selling title in the franchise – proof that Pokemon has never been more popular.