Earlier this year, developer Niantic announced that this year's Pokemon GO Halloween spectacle would take place in two parts, with the first occurring in mid-October and the second covering Halloween itself.
Details regarding the first part of Pokemon GO's 2024 Halloween event were recently revealed via an official Niantic blog post. The event will kick off with the debut of a first for the game: Morpeko, a Pokemon capable of changing form in the middle of battle.
New Pokemon GO Event Might Buff Fan Favorite Pokemon Again
Niantic makes an interesting announcement about the next Pokemon GO day event, and it has the potential to drastically change the game's meta.
Morpeko Shifts Modes When It Uses Charged Attacks
Previous examples of Pokemon who come in multiple forms, such as Castform or Furfrou, were handled by making them separate entries in players' Pokemon GO inventories. Morpeko, a Generation 8 hamster-like Pokemon used by Pokemon Sword and Shield trainer Marnie, will instead switch between its Full Belly and Hangry Mode mid-battle.
Morpeko will start each battle in Full Belly Mode, with its Charged Attack Aura Wheel as an Electric-type move. The first time Aura Wheel is used, the Pokemon will switch into Hangry Mode, with Aura Wheel now a Dark-type attack. Switches will continue to occur each time the Pokemon's Charged Attack is used, encouraging Trainers to make careful timing decisions about when to switch things up.
During the Halloween Part 1 event, which will run from October 22 through October 28, players can potentially earn Morpeko as a reward when completing Pokemon GO League battles at any rank. Players will also be able to encounter one Morpeko as part of a Spiritomb-themed Timed Research task, and others by completing limited-time Field Research. Following the event's conclusion, Morpeko will continue to appear in Pokemon GO League at Rank 16 and above. Players on the Premium track will be more likely to encounter Morpeko.
Morpeko Could Pave The Way For Other Form-Changing Pokemon
With the introduction of mid-battle form swapping, other Pokemon who have similar abilities could be added to Pokemon GO in the near future. One major contender is Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Palafin, with its visually distinct Zero and Hero forms. Other Pokemon that are already in Pokemon GO but lack their signature form-changing abilities, such as Darmanitan with Zen Mode, could have their play style altered in future updates.
Other Events During The Halloween Part 1 Celebration
While the addition of Morpeko is the primary draw of Part 1 of Pokemon GO's Halloween event, it is not the only spooky surprise Niantic has in store for its players. During the week-long event, players can also look forward to the following:
- Dynamax Gastly will be appearing at Power Spots. Players can fight Gastly in teams of four and even catch one for themselves.
- The Shiny rate of Umbreon will be boosted in raids
- The Shiny rate of Zorua will be boosted in the wild
- Spooky Pokemon such as Sandygast, Murkrow, and Zubat will appear more frequently in the wild.
- Sableye and Absol, including their Shiny variants, may appear rarely in the wild.
- Sneasel, Sableye, both versions of Yamask, Hisuian Typhlosion, Umbreon, and Bombirdier will be appearing in Raids.
- Limited-time Field Research will allow players to earn Mega Energy for Absol, Banette, Gengar, Houndoom, and Sableye.
- An event-exclusive ticket, which costs $5, will allow players to choose between a Full Belly Mode Morpeko Hoodie and a Hangry Mode Morpeko Hoodie for their avatar. It will also include encounters with the Costumed Pokemon which will be appearing in Part 2 of the event.
Of course, this is only Part 1 of the exciting 2024 Halloween event in Pokemon GO. A second part, featuring more spooky fun, will run in late October, encompassing Halloween itself. More details regarding the second part of the Halloween event, as well as other exciting new developments coming to Pokemon GO in the near future, will be revealed later this month.
