As the final harvest faded and the chill of winter crept across the Celtic lands, the people of ancient Ireland gathered around great bonfires to mark Samhain (pronounced Sow-in). This sacred festival, celebrated at the midpoint between autumn and winter, honored the turning of the year—a time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead grew thin. The Celts believed that on this night, the spirits of ancestors could return to visit their loved ones, while mischievous fae and restless souls wandered freely across the hills and fields. To protect themselves and honor the departed, villagers left offerings of food and lit lanterns carved from turnips to guide friendly spirits home.
Over the centuries, as Christianity spread through Europe, Samhain’s traditions blended with All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, giving birth to what we now know as Halloween. In other parts of the world, echoes of this ancient reverence for the dead lived on—transforming into beautiful celebrations like Día de los Muertos in Mexico and All Hallows’ Eve across Europe. Though the rituals may differ, they share the same heartbeat: remembrance, renewal, and the belief that death is not an end, but a doorway.
Today, Samhain is still celebrated by modern Celts and pagans around the world as a time of reflection and connection—honoring ancestors, marking the close of the harvest, and welcoming the quiet wisdom of winter. When we light candles in the dark, dress in masks, or tell ghostly tales by firelight, we’re carrying on the same ancient spark that once burned bright in the hills of Ireland thousands of years ago.
Celebrating Samhain Gaiscioch Style
As the veil thins and the fires of Samhain burn once more, the Gaiscioch gather—not in the misty fields of Éire, but across the digital realms of our favorite MMORPGs. Each year, games across the world of online adventures celebrate the season with haunted festivals, costumed chaos, and spirited events that echo the ancient Celtic traditions of transformation and remembrance.
For us, Samhain is more than just a holiday—it’s a chance to come together as a tribe and share laughter, stories, and spooky adventures. Whether we’re battling spectral foes in *Guild Wars 2’s Shadow of the Mad King*, delving into *Elder Scrolls Online’s Witches Festival*, or carving pumpkins in *New World’s Nightveil Hallow*, the spirit remains the same: honoring the cycle of life and death through fellowship and play. So grab your costume, light your virtual torch, and join the Gaiscioch in celebrating the season where the worlds—both real and imagined—grow closer than ever.
Guild Wars 2: Shadow of the Mad King festival
Prepare to enter the Mad Realm! The annual Shadow of the Mad King festival returns to Guild Wars 2 from October 7 to November 4, beckoning all Gaiscioch members to face King Thorn’s madness in exchange for sweet rewards. You can jump into classic activities like the co-op farming bonanza in the Mad King’s Labyrinth, race the clock in the infamous Mad King’s Clock Tower jumping puzzle, or brave the Ascent to Madness dungeon for a showdown with the Mad King himself. The event is a prime source of Candy Corn, special achievements, and introduces brand-new Lunatic Jester’s Trousers and a collection of Unchained weapons for 2025!
The Elder Scrolls Online
Gaiscioch adventurers in The Elder Scrolls Online can prepare for the annual Witches Festival, which is expected to run from Late October to early November. To join the spooky celebration, players can acquire the free Witchmother’s Whistle memento from the Crown Store, which grants a powerful two-hour 100% Experience Point (XP) boost for slaying monsters while under its spectral transformation! Defeating bosses across Tamriel will grant Plunder Skulls, containers filled with valuable rewards like the Hollowjack and Dremora Motif style pages, alchemy reagents, and all-important Event Tickets to acquire the year’s unique morphing collectibles and exclusive Witches Festival furnishings.
Conqueror’s Blade: The Dark Lord Returns
The Dark Lord is stirring once more in Conqueror’s Blade with The Dark Lord Returns event, calling upon all Gaiscioch warlords to rally beneath the blood moon over Heilung Fjord. The Dark Lord’s most loyal follower, clad in [Pallbearer] armor, has weakened the ancient seal, causing a spectral legion to gather for vengeance. To combat this rising darkness, the greatest artisans have forged the legendary [Carolingian Radiance] Longsword & Shield, a weapon that embodies the “immortal oath” of the first heroes to shield the world from night. Prepare your armies, call for reinforcements, and inherit this unyielding will to push back the encroaching shadows.
New World Aeternum: Nighthaven
The massive Season 10: Nighthaven update, releasing on October 13, dramatically reshapes the Aeternum endgame and introduces a host of new content. Adventurers are invited to explore the mysterious new zone, Nighthaven, an ancient land of haunted woods and castles where you must uncover the fate of the Tear of Gaea. The release features a new 10-person endgame challenge in the Isle of Night Raid and the repeatable 3-player procedurally generated Catacombs dungeon mode. Furthermore, prepare for a complete progression overhaul with the level cap increasing to 70 and Gear Score maxing at 800, complemented by the introduction of new gear systems like Perk Charms and powerful Set Bonuses to customize your ultimate build, along with the new vertical PvP map, The Tower of Calomel.
Black Desert: Spooky, Scary Pumpkin Bash!
The Spooky, Scary Pumpkin Bash! event in Black Desert transforms Velia and Heidel into haunted villages, running from October 16 to November 6. Participation involves two main activities that award the collectible [Event] Spooky Pumpkin Seals: first, by completing Login Challenges daily for 30 and 60 minutes of playtime; and second, by defeating [Ghost] Pumpkins that pop up in monster zones. Destroying these pumpkins is highly rewarding, offering items like Sharp Black Crystal Shards and applying the powerful [Event] Spooky Pumpkin Vibes buff, which grants Item Drop Rate +10% and Combat EXP +200% for 60 minutes. The collected Pumpkin Seals can be exchanged for valuable rewards via the Manage Currency tab, including new residence décor like the buff-granting [Event] Pumpkin Spirit furniture (All AP +15, Max HP +100), the [Event] Dapper Death Mood Lamp, and enhancement help kits such as the [Event] Dreamy Enhancement Help Kit.
Orcs Must Die: Deathtrap
The Orctoberfest update for Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap introduces significant new content focused on expanding replayability and rewarding War Mages who master their traps. Players can now test their skills in two new permanent modes: Challenges, which offer unique multi-map runs with bonus rewards for first-time completion, and Endurance, a 25-wave survival mode on a single map that also grants bonus rewards upon initial victory. To help combat the hordes, the update adds two powerful new traps: the Soul Snatcher (a wall trap dealing continuous damage based on an enemy’s current health) and the Void Wall (a wall trap that periodically pulls small enemies into the void). Successfully completing these new modes will unlock a variety of new cosmetic rewards, including skins, accessories, and emotes, while quality-of-life additions like multiple accessory slots and a trap upgrade indicator enhance the trap-laying experience.
Palia: Fall Fantasy: The Spiritfest Spectacle
The Palia: Fall Fantasy: The Spiritfest Spectacle (Patch 0.196) brings the Halloween Revel to Kilima, marked by the return of the Spooky Moon Store, which overflows with new and returning décor, including Giant Pumpkins and Ravenwood Fences. To participate, players can complete four seasonal bundles on the Bulletin Board to help Najuma honor the dead, which unlocks prizes like the Spooky Fishing Bobber, Spooky Spectral Blossoms, and the Jack O’ Lantern Lure used to catch the limited-time Pumpkin Rockhopper insect. Beyond the festive content, this patch also introduces the adorable, bouncy new ranch animal, Goobi, alongside major updates to the Ranching system, including Multiplayer Ranching that lets friends help tend to your animals, Pen Organization for prioritizing animal locations, and a new Character Profiles feature to showcase your gear, skills, and plot value to other players.
Fallout 76
The seasonal event Mischief Night returns to Fallout 76 from October 7 to October 21, inviting players to embrace a streak of misdeeds for in-game rewards. To begin the event, you must talk to the rascal Eyebot named JES-2R located at Rapidan Camp in Skyline Valley. After donning a costume (either your own or one provided by the item chest), the event tasks players with going on a pranking spree across the wasteland. You must satisfy Mischief Night’s craving for light havoc by raiding trick-or-treat bowls, performing acts of vandalism, or causing explosions to earn rewards such as snacks, XP, Caps, and more.