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Pokémon Pokopia’s Pumpkaboo’s Sweet Surprises! event is now live, giving Nintendo Switch 2 players a limited-time Halloween activity to tackle. Nintendo says the event runs from October 17 at 5:00 a.m. until November 1 at 4:59 a.m. local time, and requires software update Ver. 2.0.1.
The seasonal event centres on Pumpkaboo, which Nintendo describes as the Pumpkin Pokémon, and a set of festival-themed activities and rewards. It’s a neat excuse to revisit your town, whether you’re keen to add new Pokémon or simply give your settlement a spooky-season makeover.
How Pumpkaboo’s Sweet Surprises! works
To begin, find Pumpkaboo near a Pokémon Center, listen to its request and befriend it. You can then collect pumpkin candy by using Camouflage to disguise yourself as furniture or other items Pokémon like, surprising them as they approach.
Take the candy to the Pokémon Center and trade it for furniture and decorations inspired by a midnight festival. Use those event items to build a habitat for Gourgeist; once it arrives, you can befriend it too. Nintendo says Pokémon befriended during the event will remain in your town after the celebration ends.
The town-building loop is a big part of Pokopia’s appeal, and players who’ve already explored its Bubbly Basin expansion will know how much a fresh set of decorations can change a settlement.
Dates, update and access requirements
The event is available from October 17 at 5:00 a.m. through November 1 at 4:59 a.m. local time. Before starting, download Ver. 2.0.1 and check the game’s version from the Nintendo Switch 2 HOME Menu; the title screen must also display Ver. 2.0.1 for the event to begin.
You’ll also need to have completed a town’s important request, rebuilt its Pokémon Center and learned Camouflage from Zorua in Bleak Beach. Set your system date and time to the current real-world date and time, then launch the game while connected to the internet.
Nintendo notes that players who meet the progression requirements on November 1 can still access the event, as long as they do so within its stated period and meet the other conditions. The event isn’t available on Cloud Islands or in Bubbly Basin.
For multiplayer Link Play, head to Palette Town and speak to Pumpkaboo to receive the event details before starting multiplayer. Spectator Mode isn’t supported, and online features require an internet connection, a Nintendo Account and a Nintendo Switch Online membership; availability and terms vary by country.
A limited-time reason to return
Nintendo’s event announcement ties the new activities to Ver. 2.0.1, so installing an earlier 2.0 update alone won’t meet the listed version requirement. The announcement’s midnight-festival theme runs through both the candy exchange and the decorations players can use to shape their towns.
The event window closes at 4:59 a.m. local time on November 1. Install Ver. 2.0.1, check your story progress and system clock, then connect to the internet to get started before the seasonal activities wrap up.
| Event detail | Requirement or reward | Where | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software version | Ver. 2.0.1 | Game title screen | Before starting |
| Progression | Important request, rebuilt Pokémon Center and Camouflage | Town and Bleak Beach | During event |
| Event currency | Pumpkin candy | Surprise approaching Pokémon | November 1, 4:59 a.m. local |
| Event Pokémon | Pumpkaboo and Gourgeist | Town habitats and event activities | Event period |