Welcome to this week's Pokémon gaming news roundup for October 27, 2026. We are covering major updates across the franchise, including the announced service end for Pokémon UNITE, spooky Halloween festivities in Pokémon GO, final hours for Scarlet and Violet 7-Star raids, and digital card updates in Pokémon TCG Pocket.
Pokémon UNITE Announces 2027 Server Shutdown
The Pokémon Company has officially announced that Pokémon UNITE will end service on Nintendo Switch and mobile platforms on March 23, 2027, at 00:00 UTC. Effective October 27, 2026, players can no longer purchase Aeos Gems or renew UNITE Club memberships. End-of-service events will begin on November 12, 2026, though the Pokémon UNITE Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo competitive tournament will still proceed as scheduled.
Pokémon GO Kicks Off Halloween 2026 Part 1
Pokémon GO has launched Part 1 of its Halloween 2026 event running through November 1. Trainers can encounter new costumed debuts like Top Hat Zubat, Bow Sinistea, and Hat-Capelet Pikachu, alongside wild spawns for Shiny Greavard. A free auto-completed Timed Research awards 6 Rare Candies and a Bow Sinistea encounter, while 5-Star Raids shift to Origin Forme 'Giratina' on October 28 ahead of Super Mega Chandelure Raid Day on October 31.
Scarlet Violet Raid Rerun and TCG Pocket Updates
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the 7-Star Black Crystal Tera Raid rerun featuring Ground Tera Garchomp the Unrivaled ends on October 29. Defeating Garchomp guarantees an Ability Patch, Earthquake TM, EXP Candies, and Ground Tera Shards. Meanwhile, Pokémon TCG Pocket announced upcoming special booster packs featuring first-partner Pokémon across all nine regions, utilizing a dedicated special pack stamina system instead of standard booster energy.
Players should spend any remaining Aeos Gems in UNITE before shutdown features take effect, log into Pokémon GO to collect free Halloween Timed Research rewards, and prepare Level 100 counters to defeat Garchomp before the Black Crystal raids expire on October 29.