War Thunder's Halloween 2026 event is live with a revised timetable. Gaijin moved the Spooky Races back by 24 hours after technical issues, so the two competitive race events now run from 28 October at 11:00 GMT until 1 November at 11:00 GMT. The wider Halloween cosmetics window began on 27 October and closes at the same time on 1 November.
The headline reward is the Soviet Po-2 aircraft for the top 1,000 pilots in the air leaderboard, but there are also fixed-score rewards that are much more attainable: the Green Ghosts decal, the Sinister Lands profile frame, trophy cosmetics and a separate Boo decal task. Here is the confirmed schedule, every reward requirement and the most important detail to know before grinding.
War Thunder Halloween 2026 dates and UK times
The official War Thunder event page originally listed the races for 27 October. Gaijin later added a notice confirming a 24-hour delay. The corrected competitive window is:
- Spooky Races start: Wednesday 28 October 2026 at 11:00 GMT
- Spooky Races end: Sunday 1 November 2026 at 11:00 GMT
- Dead Man's Chest and Witch's Cauldron availability: 27 October at 11:00 GMT to 1 November at 11:00 GMT
Because the UK has already returned to GMT, those times need no daylight-saving conversion. If you saw an earlier guide quoting 27 October for the races, use the revised 28 October start published by Gaijin. The trophy shop window was not moved in the same notice.
All confirmed War Thunder Halloween rewards
Ground race: Through the dark forest
The ground event uses the spooky M18 “Witch” tank on a dark race course. Your event rating determines the rewards:
- 500 rating points: one decoration from the Witch's Cauldron trophy.
- 750 rating points: the new Sinister Lands profile frame, delivered after the event.
The profile frame is the guaranteed target for reaching 750 in the ground event. The 500-point reward is a trophy decoration rather than a player-selected item, so do not assume you can choose a specific axe, hat or mask.
Air race: Witch Hunt and the Po-2
The Witch Hunt race sends players through a rocky route in the Po-2 “Night Witch”. Its fixed thresholds are:
- 300 rating points: one decal from the Dead Man's Chest.
- 750 rating points: the Green Ghosts squadron-emblem decal.
- Top 1,000 on the final leaderboard: the Po-2 (USSR) aircraft.
The Po-2 is the only placement-based reward. Reaching 750 points is not enough on its own: you must still be inside the top 1,000 when the air event ends. Gaijin says the aircraft will be added to qualifying accounts within 48 hours. The leaderboard is available through the Award button in the Events window and may take up to 15 minutes to refresh.
How to unlock the Boo decal
The Boo decal is separate from both race leaderboards. Earn 3,000 mission points in any Rank III or higher vehicle while maintaining at least 70% activity. That makes it the cleanest reward for players who prefer War Thunder's standard battles to the Halloween races.
Dead Man's Chest and Witch's Cauldron trophies
During the cosmetics window, the in-game shop carries the returning Dead Man's Chest and Witch's Cauldron trophies. The chest contains Halloween decals from previous events, while the cauldron contains vehicle decorations. Gaijin highlights returning items including the Grim Reaper, Snail Killer, Angry Black Cat and Blow Your Mind decals, plus the Slasher's Hatchet, Cannibal Axe, Witch Hat and Slasher's Mask decorations.
If you already own every item in the relevant pool, the duplicate-protection reward becomes one of the following: a 20–50% Research Point booster for 3–10 battles, a 20–50% Silver Lion booster for 3–10 battles, three to five universal backups, or one day of Premium Account.
It is important to separate these shop trophies from the guaranteed rating rewards. The official page describes the trophies as available to purchase. The race milestones award one trophy item; they do not make the entire historical cosmetic pool free.
Best reward order before the event ends
Start with the Boo decal if you regularly play Rank III or above, because its 3,000-point requirement can be completed in normal missions without leaderboard pressure. Next, choose the race whose 750-point cosmetic matters most to you. Only commit to the Po-2 leaderboard grind if you can monitor your position through the final hours—being inside the top 1,000 earlier in the event does not guarantee the aircraft.
The event is short and the race start has already changed once, so check the in-game Events window before a long session. The official War Thunder announcement is the source of truth for any further technical updates.
More gaming rewards from CODSKINS
For more limited-time drops, codes and event rewards, browse the CODSKINS Latest Promotions blog. You can also explore Other Games DLC, Digital Codes & Rewards and the latest additions in Trending Gaming Codes, Skins & DLC Rewards.
Confirmed information: all dates, thresholds and reward rules above come from Gaijin's official 27 October announcement and its 24-hour-delay update. No unverified leaks or rumours are included.
