Ghost Ship Games has confirmed that Deep Rock Galactic’s Hoxxes Halloween event returns on Thursday 22 October at 13:00 CET and runs until November 5 at 13:00 CET, according to the official Steam developer blog. The event brings back flying skulls, Double XP bonuses, and a haunted Space Rig, along with a new headgear reward and a catch-up assignment for previous Halloween hats.
Event dates and seasonal window
The event starts Thursday 22 October at 13:00 CET and closes November 5 at 13:00 CET. Because the window spans roughly two weeks, players need to finish both limited assignments before the deadline. Ghost Ship Games announced the dates in the same blog update and framed the seasonal content with flying skulls, Double XP bonuses, and a haunted Space Rig.
New Straw Boss headgear and Last Year’s Horrors assignment
For 2026, the new cosmetic is the Straw Boss headgear. Ghost Ship Games says it is obtained by completing a special assignment before the event ends. That makes it a limited-time reward tied to the event window.
A separate assignment called Last Year’s Horrors gives players a way to claim headgear from all previous Hoxxes Halloween events. The developer describes this as a catch-up option for new players or anyone who missed earlier Halloweens. It must also be completed before the event ends.
The Steam developer blog does not list a store price for the Straw Boss headgear or an exact count of previous Halloween hats. The only confirmed acquisition method is the special assignment, so players should not wait for a separate store drop before the deadline.
Flying skulls, Double Performance Point Bonus, and Haunted Hub
Inside missions, flying skulls return in the mines of Hoxxes. Bringing back a skull rewards a Double Performance Point Bonus. The in-universe R&D team is said to be investigating the patterns of the flying skulls, according to the developer post.
The Space Rig gets a Haunted Hub treatment with pumpkins and ghosts decorating the social space. Double XP bonuses are also part of the event, as listed in the announcement.
How to prioritize before the deadline
Players should treat the two assignments as the first priority. The Straw Boss special assignment unlocks the Straw Boss headgear, and Last Year’s Horrors unlocks the previous Halloween headgear. Both are limited to the event window, so completing them early avoids a last-day rush.
After the assignments are done, the best use of remaining time is to run missions where flying skulls appear and bring back a skull for the Double Performance Point Bonus. Double XP bonuses also run during the event, so players can use the window for faster progression.
New players should complete the Straw Boss special assignment first, then Last Year’s Horrors. Returning players who already own previous Halloween headgear can focus on Straw Boss and skip Last Year’s Horrors unless they missed an earlier reward. Setting a reminder for the final morning leaves little room to recover from a failed mission, so starting the special assignment when the event goes live on October 22 is the safer route. The Halloween event is a limited-time celebration separate from the game’s larger seasonal roadmap, which Ghost Ship Games first teased during Rocktoberfest 2026 and later detailed when it confirmed Season 07, Season 08, and an expansion DLC.
