Trick or treat yourself with these video game Halloween events of 2021

Video game Halloween events are in full swing now that we're just a couple of weeks out from the big night when the veil between the world of the living and the dead is at its thinnest.

So, you've got your Jack-o'-lantern burning bright outside the front door, you might've stretched a few fake spider webs around your furniture, and now you're looking for a seasonally appropriate way to spend your time during these brisk Fall nights until Halloween. There are plenty of great options from our list of the best horror games, but there's something uniquely fun about seeing your favorite non-horror games dress up for the occasion. And that's precisely why we're here.

We've rounded up all the video game Halloween events of 2021 worth checking out. Some of these events - we're looking at you, Destiny 2 - are actually packing some genuine scares, while others are cute, family friendly options. Whatever your preference, we hope you'll find something here to instill some of that playful, mischievous, scary, precious Halloween spirit while the season lasts.

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These are the video game Halloween events of 2021 we recommend.

Call of Duty Warzone/Black Ops Cold War: The Haunting

Dates: October 19 - November 2
Spookiness: Reasonably frightening but you've got guns so

Call of Duty season 6 is almost upon us, and it roughly coincides with Halloween. As part of the new season, both Warzone and Black Ops Cold War are hosting themed events collectively titled The Haunting, which returns for the second consecutive year.

This time around, there's a new killer in town: the iconic killer of teens Ghostface from the Scream franchise. Furthermore, though unconfirmed, a recent leak appears to reveal a skin from Donnie Darko resembling Frank, the giant rabbit that probably turns up in your nightmares from time to time. Last year there were a pair of crossover characters (Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Jigsaw from Saw), so it makes sense for there to be at least two killers this year. But so far, only Ghostface has been confirmed.

Activision has yet to reveal the full details for this year's The Haunting event, but one leak seemingly confirms a Scream Deathmatch mode for Black Ops Cold War in which teams of killers dressed up like Ghostface (and possibly Frank from Donnie Darko) hunt down teams of survivors. No word on what to expect from Warzone, but last year's event introduced a nighttime version of the Verdansk map and a horror-themed game-mode called Zombi. We have a lot more details about what could be included in this year's shenanigans in our Warzone Haunting event guide.

Fortnitemares 2021

Dates: October 5 - November 1
Spookiness: Fourtnite out of 10

Fortnitemares is back again for 2021, and this time it's wrangled a couple of classic horror icons. Frankenstein's Monster and The Mummy skins are the highlights of the event's Halloween skins, allowing you to dress up as your favorite Universal monster in-game to celebrate the season.

Destiny 2 Festival of the Lost Halloween

Dates: October 12 - November 2
Spookiness: "Actual nightmare fuel" - GamesRadar+ headline

Destiny 2 has no right to be this scary, but here we are. The free-to-play shooter is celebrating the season with its Festival of the Lost Halloween event, which brings about a number of cosmetics that we don't like one bit. The Honk Moon Mask (seen above) seems to be referencing the 2019 indie darling Untitled Goose Game, but nothing in that game or Destiny 2 for that matter is anywhere near as horrific as this damn mask.

There's also the Penguin Mask, whose soulless beady-eyed gaze effortlessly pierces right through to your soul, shattering your ego and very sense of self in the process. And finally, there's the Skitterscare, and despite being a giant spider vehicle, it really isn't so bad compared to the other two abominations.

Valheim Jack-o'-turnip

Dates: Now - ???
Spookiness: 0/10 crows are scarier

Valheim is keeping it simple with a basic but classic Jack-o'-lantern - ahem, Jack-o'-turnip. Check the furniture tab in the build menu and make sure you're stocked with 4 turnips and 2 resin, and you'll have everything you need to turn your boring, unfestive Viking house into... well, a not-boring and festive Viking house.

Sea of Thieves Fury of the Damned

Dates: October 7 - November 4
Spookiness: Seen Pirates of the Caribbean? You'll do fine

Sea of Thieves always goes all out for Halloween, and this year's no different. The Fury of the Damned event tasks you with currying Favour with the Bilge Rats by doing things to upset the undead like clearing a Skeleton Fort or taking down an armada of Skeleton Ships. Then you can spend your Favour on Halloween-themed cosmetics for your ship, your pets, and your outfit. It's also Sea of Thieves tradition to raise a glass in honor of the Ferryman during the spooky season, so bottoms up, fallen pirates!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons fall update

Dates: September 30 - October 31
Spookiness: 0/10 unless you have Beardo on your island, in which case it's 10/10 scary year-round

2021's Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween event introduces a bunch of new seasonal items you can craft and use to dress up or decorate your island with. And then on Halloween night, you can throw on your scariest costume and pay pumpkin-headed Jack a visit. Just make sure you stock up on candy before then, as you'll be able to give it to Jack in exchange for some Halloweeny adornments you can place in your haunted house or around your island.

Pokemon Go Halloween event

Dates: October 15 - October 31
Spookiness: It's Pokemon

Pokemon Go is adding classic Lavender Town music, creepy new Pokemon, costumed Pokemon, and themed research projects for its 5th annual Halloween event.

Part 1, titled Creepy Companions, focuses on Psychic- and Dark-themed Pokemon like Shiny Spinarak and Galarian Slowking, both of whom will be appearing in Pokemon Go for the first time. Creepy Companions is live now and runs until Friday, October 22. 

Pokemon Go Halloween Mischief Part 2: Ghoulish Pals kicks off October 22 and runs until Halloween night. During that period you'll see more Ghost-type in the wild like Pumpkaboo, Gourgeist, Phantump, and Trevenant - again, all making their Pokemon Go debuts. 

Call of Duty: Mobile season 9: Nightmare

Dates: October 21 - ???
Spookiness: Billy the Puppet from Saw is there, so pretty heckin' spooky

Call of Duty: Mobile is somehow already heading into its 9th season, and given the timing, the new season will be themed around Halloween. The mobile title's Halloween goings-on include the return of Undead Siege, which has been updated to include a greater variety of zombies in casual mode. There will also be a new Trick or Treat-themed event, and Drop Zone is making its debut in Call of Duty: Mobile for season 9. Finally, Nightmare is crossing over with the Sam franchise to bring Billy the Puppet into the mix, as well as some items from the series.

Pokemon Unite Halloween event

Dates: October 20 - November 10
Spookiness: Gengar looks mildly threatening

The free-to-play arena battler Pokemon Unite is celebrating Halloween by throwing pumpkins around everywhere. Mer Stadium will be decked out in festive pumpkins, and you'll be able to use two new seasonal special attacks - Pumpkin Toss and Pumpkin Push - in Mer Stadium quick battles.

Taking part in these festive Mer Stadium battles can will yield collectible pumpkins that can be exchanged for limited-time Halloween items. And until November 7, there are daily login bonuses that can get you even more pumpkins. And finally, from October 24 to November 2, you'll be able to complete daily missions to collect even more. You'll be able to spend your pumpkins at Pokemon Unite's Pumpkin Exchange, which will have Battle Point Boost cards, a Greedent Unite license, a Halloween background, a Halloween hat, and more.

Monster Hunter World Autumn Harvest Fest

Dates: October 15 to November 5
Spookiness: Nothing here comes close to Xeno'jiiva levels of scary

Monster Hunter World's annual Autumn Harvest Fest is a great way to soak in the season. Your home base is decked out with festive lights and Jack-o-lanterns, you can dress up your palico for the occasion, and there are new time-limited hunts to take on that reward you with materials to craft new equipment.