A chilling new challenge has arrived in Pokémon Go: the ‘Eerie Echoes’ Timed Research quest, a paid Halloween event that tempts trainers with exclusive Ghost-type encounters, coveted avatar items, and a race against the clock to claim all the rewards before they vanish into the night. But is this $5 ticket truly worth your PokéCoins, or just another spectral distraction? Here’s everything you need to know before you decide if ‘Eerie Echoes’ is a trick-or a treat.
For $5 (or the equivalent in local currency), you get access to a number of rewards, including a seemingly-exclusive Ghost Pose for your avatar. Here’s every reward from the “Eerie Echoes” Timed Research, and our view on whether the ticket is worth buying.
’Eerie Echoes’ Timed Research quest steps
The ’Eerie Echoes’ Timed Research in Pokémon Go is a paid questline introduced for the Halloween 2023 event, requiring players to purchase a $5 ticket and complete all tasks before October 31 at 8pm local time. This quest is split into four steps, each featuring tasks themed around Ghost-type Pokémon and rewarding exclusive encounters and items. Step 1 asks you to spin 3 PokéStops or Gyms, catch 10 Pokémon, and make 5 Curveball Throws, with rewards including encounters with Gastly, Misdreavus, Litwick, and Phantump, plus Silver Pinap Berries. Step 2 requires making 2 Curveball Throws, transferring 10 Pokémon, and catching 10 Ghost-types, rewarding Poochyena, Galarian Zigzagoon, Sableye, Phantump, and an Incense. Step 3 involves walking 2km, sending 5 gifts to friends, and catching 10 more Ghost-types, with Purrloin, Alolan Meowth, Umbreon, Phantump, and an Incubator as rewards. The final step tasks you with hatching an egg, making 10 Curveball Throws, and catching 15 Ghost-types, culminating in encounters with Drifloon, Yamask, Greavard, Trevenant, and the coveted Ghost Pose for your avatar.
The following quest is available for all players, and must be completed before Part 2 of the Halloween event ends on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. local time.
Step 1 of 4
- Spin 3 PokéStops or Gyms (Gastly encounter)
- Catch 10 Pokémon (Misdreavus encounter)
- Make 5 Curveball Throws (Litwick encounter)
Rewards: Phantump encounter, 5 Silver Pinap Berries
Step 2 of 4
- Make 2 Curveball Throws (Poochyena encounter)
- Transfer 10 Pokémon (Galarian Zigzagoon encounter)
- Catch 10 Ghost-type Pokémon (Sableye encounter)
Rewards: Phantump encounter, 1 Incense
Step 3 of 4
- Walk 2km (Purrloin encounter)
- Send 5 Gifts to friends (Alolan Meowth encounter)
- Catch 10 Ghost-type Pokémon (Umbreon encounter)
Rewards: Phantump encounter, 1 Incubator
Step 4 of 4
- Hatch an Egg (Drifloon encounter)
- Make 10 Curveball Throws (Yamask encounter)
- Catch 15 Ghost-type Pokémon (Greavard encounter)
Rewards: Trevenant encounter, Ghost Pose avatar item
Is the ’Eerie Echoes’ Timed Research worth it?
The ’Eerie Echoes’ Timed Research in Pokémon Go is a paid quest, costing $5 (or local equivalent), and was available during the Halloween 2023 event. The main draw is the exclusive animated Ghost Pose for your avatar, along with encounters with Ghost-type Pokémon like Gastly, Misdreavus, Litwick, and Trevenant, plus useful items such as Incense, an Egg Incubator, and Silver Pinap Berries. Whether it’s worth buying depends on your interest in avatar cosmetics and Ghost-type Pokémon. If you value exclusive poses and enjoy themed encounters, the ticket offers a fun, limited-time experience. However, if you’re mainly after rare Pokémon or high-value items, the rewards may not justify the cost, as most featured Pokémon are not particularly rare and there are free Halloween research quests available. Ultimately, it’s best suited for collectors and dedicated event participants who want every unique cosmetic and encounter.
Judging whether any premium research in Pokémon Go is worth buying can be tricky, as what each player values is subjective, but comparing items to what they cost in the store, the Pokémon encounters available, and/or comparing it to similar research quests can help narrow down your decision making. With all that in mind, the Timed Research is only worth it if you want the Ghost Pose.
This pose is only available with the ticket (whether this is timed or permanently exclusive is unknown). When you consider poses sell for 500 PokéCoins each, this is about the same as the $5 event ticket itself (for comparison, a 550 PokéCoin bundle is $5), meaning all other rewards in this ticket can be seen as an added bonus. As for the other shop items you get as part of the research – one Incense and one Incubator – both are inexpensive (they cost 190 PokéCoins in total standalone, and often much cheaper as part of bundles) and are commonly rewarded in most research quests, so don’t provide much extra value.
As for the encounters, many Pokémon here are available in the wild as part of the event, while the likes of Alolan Meowth, Trevenant, Umbreon, and Greavard (which debuts in this Halloween event) are on the rarer side. The ticket is also another way to squeeze in three extra encounters with Phantump, which is the game’s latest shiny, but without boosted odds, you may as well seek out wild encounters instead.
Another (albeit small) factor to consider is all encounters from research give a higher-than-average set of stats (they will have an “IV floor” of 10/10/10, out of a possible max of 15/15/15), so if you’re after more-powerful-than-average versions of these creatures – especially as many have the potential to be shiny – then that’s worth considering.
As for the quest steps, they’re straightforward and shouldn’t take long for the average player to complete with the time allotted, meaning you should unlock everything in good time. Personally, I enjoy the structure research quests offer to give me something to work towards as part of an event, even if the objectives themselves don’t offer much challenge. That said, it’s not as if this Halloween event is short of things to do this year; there are two other free research tasks available, including one involving Spiritomb, so you’ll still have plenty to keep you busy.
To summarize, if you want the Ghost Pose (you can see an animated version in action on the official blog), then the $5 entry fee covers that and then some with everything else provided. But if you remove the pose from the equation, the “Eerie Echoes” research is a much tougher sell – especially if you weigh it up against the “Ticket of Treats” Timed Research that’s also available until the end of the month, and at the same cost; that ticket at least staggers out its tasks weekly, has more encounters, and offers slightly better value rewards, including three Premium Passes and a Super Incubator.
Is the ‘Eerie Echoes’ Timed Research worth the $5 investment for Halloween fans
For dedicated Halloween fans, the $5 ‘Eerie Echoes’ Timed Research in Pokémon Go is primarily worth it if you’re interested in the exclusive animated Ghost Pose for your avatar, as this is the main unique reward tied to the ticket. The quest also offers some event-themed encounters and standard items, but these are not particularly exceptional compared to free event content.
If you value avatar customization and collecting limited-time cosmetics, the investment may feel justified. However, if you’re more interested in rare Pokémon or substantial in-game bonuses, the ticket’s rewards may not stand out, and you might find better value in other event offerings.
In summary: it’s a worthwhile purchase mainly for collectors and those who want the Ghost Pose; for others, the value is less compelling.
Is the Ghost Pose worth $5 for Halloween enthusiasts in Pokémon Go
For Halloween enthusiasts in Pokémon Go, the animated Ghost Pose offered by the $5 Eerie Echoes Timed Research is a unique, event-exclusive avatar animation that stands out as the main draw of the ticket. If you enjoy collecting rare cosmetics and showing off your seasonal spirit, the Ghost Pose is likely to be worth the investment, as it’s not available through other means and adds a festive flair to your in-game character.
However, if you’re primarily interested in gameplay advantages, rare Pokémon, or substantial in-game items, the value of the ticket is less compelling, since the Ghost Pose is a cosmetic reward and the accompanying Pokémon encounters are not particularly rare. For collectors and dedicated Halloween fans, the $5 price tag is justified for the exclusivity and thematic fun of the Ghost Pose. For others, it may not be essential.
