Scream Fortress 2026: TF2 Halloween Event Guide

Scream Fortress 2026 is here. Valve shipped the TF2 Halloween 2026 update on 1 October, and the event runs until 7 November 2026. Officially it is Scream Fortress XVIII, the eighteenth Halloween event in Team Fortress 2's history. The previous one, Scream Fortress XVII, ran from 1 October to 7 November 2025.

This guide covers what is in this year's update: the new maps, cosmetics, taunts, unusual effects and the new case. It also explains how to get Halloween items, what happened to Halloween spells, and how Halloween-restricted cosmetics work. If you just want to grab this year's items without opening cases, the full TF2 market on Mannco.store already lists them.

Scream Fortress 2026 at a Glance

According to the official TF2 update notes and the Official TF2 Wiki, Scream Fortress XVIII adds:

• 5 new community Halloween maps;
• 23 new community cosmetic items, all found in the new Haunted Hoard Case;
• 5 new community taunts, sold in the Mann Co. Store;
• 21 new Unusual effects: 11 for cosmetics and 10 for taunts;
• 5 new Halloween contracts, plus a reset of every Halloween contract you finished in earlier years;
• a free Soul Gargoyle for every player who launches the game during the event.

New Halloween Maps

All five maps are community-made. According to the TF2 Wiki, they are:

1. HolyHell: Control Point;
2. Scarypass: Payload;
3. Trainsawlaser: King of the Hill;
4. Medi-Evil: Capture the Flag in Medieval mode;
5. Scaredy-Cat: Control Point.

Each new map comes with its own Halloween contract. That makes playing them the easiest way to work through this year's contract list.

The Haunted Hoard Case and Its Cosmetics

This year's 23 community cosmetics make up the Haunted Hoard Collection, and they come out of the Haunted Hoard Case. The TF2 Wiki says the case drops through the normal item drop system and can also be bought in the Mann Co. Store. You need the matching Haunted Hoard Key to open it.

The official update notes say the case also has a bonus chance to give a taunt Unusualifier. Items from the case can be Strange, and hats can come out Unusual with one of the new Halloween 2026 effects.

The collection, grouped by class:

• Scout: Batter's Jersey;
• Soldier: General's Greatcoat, Grenadier's Goggles;
• Pyro: Clowning Cowl, Two Faced Terror;
• Demoman: Cogwork Cargos, Gunpowder Grin, Vance's Vest;
• Heavy: Damage Dealer, High Caliber Earner, Showdown Slacks;
• Engineer: Mined Mind;
• Medic: Crown of the Ye Olde Kingdom, Scaled Surcoat, Twain Tassets;
• Sniper: Hell-Bent Leather, Rough Rider, Wayward Wrap;
• Spy: Bounty Hunter's Brim, Desperado Disguise;
• All classes: Bone Chiller, Skeleton Crew, Royal Remains.

Unboxing is a gamble, as it is with any case. Most players will spend less by buying the exact cosmetic they want. On launch week, a lot of the collection was already selling for well under a key on Mannco.store.

New Taunts

Five community taunts were added to the Mann Co. Store:

• Taunt: Showrunner's Spirit (Scout);
• Taunt: One-Eyed Punt! (Soldier);
• Taunt: Sear You Later (Pyro);
• Taunt: Barrel Roll (Demoman);
• Taunt: Hippocratic Hypocrite (Medic).

Each of these can become Unusual with one of the 10 new taunt effects, using the taunt Unusualifiers found as bonus items in the case.

Halloween 2026 Unusual Effects

Scream Fortress XVIII adds 21 Unusual effects, according to the TF2 Wiki.

Cosmetic (hat) effects (11): Flor De Muerto, Autumn Breeze, Spirit Swirl, Ghost Swirl, Fable Quills, Fable Feathers, Grudge n' Drudge, Boil n' Toil, Screeching Soul, Shrieking Soul and Screaming Soul.

Taunt effects (10): Electric Impulse, Primordial Ooze, Geiger Breaker, Sulfuric Acid, Shroud of Darkness, Gradient Gale, Amethyst Gale, Gamma Rays, Meltdown and Radioactive.

Newly released effects usually start out expensive and swing a lot in price during the first weeks, while the supply is still small. If you want a specific Halloween 2026 Unusual, you can watch the TF2 market instead of trying to unbox one. The chance of an Unusual from a case is only about 1%.

Neither the official update notes nor the TF2 Wiki mention a new War Paint collection in this year's update.

How to Get Halloween Items in TF2

There are a few ways to get Scream Fortress items during the event:

1. Halloween Contracts

The free Halloween contracts are back in the ConTracker. Valve added five new ones for the new maps and reset every contract you had already completed, so you can earn their rewards again. According to the update notes, rewards include classic Halloween items and chances at a Haunted Hoard Case.

2. Soul Gargoyle and Transmutation

Every player who launches TF2 during the event gets a Soul Gargoyle if they don't already have one. It collects souls as you play. The TF2 Wiki says you get 1 soul for each kill or assist, 10 for picking up a ghost gargoyle and 25 for defeating a Halloween boss.

The Soul Gargoyle also lets you transmute items: you trade three qualifying items for an untradable, uncraftable cosmetic from a past Halloween event. Every tenth transmute gives a bonus item that is guaranteed to be Haunted quality. The Soul Gargoyle itself can't be traded, sold on the market or used in crafting.

3. Item Drops and the Case

The Haunted Hoard Case drops through the normal drop system while you play. You need a key to open it, and most of what comes out is a regular-quality cosmetic.

4. Buying Directly

This is the quickest option. Halloween cosmetics, taunts and older Haunted items are traded like any other TF2 item. You can pick up exactly what you want on the Mannco.store TF2 market and pay for it with your balance or at checkout. If you need keys, Mann Co. Supply Crate Keys are listed too.

TF2 Halloween Spells: Can You Still Get Them?

Halloween spells are among the most asked-about Halloween features, but you cannot get new spells in 2026.

According to the TF2 Wiki:

• spells were introduced in 2012 and came back during the 2013 and 2014 Halloween events;
• there were four types: footprint effects, paint effects (such as Die Job or Spectral Spectrum), weapon effects (such as Exorcism) and vocal effects ("Voices from Below");
• from 2015 onward, spells have not been obtainable through normal means. Haunted Halloween Gifts were replaced by the Soul Gargoyle, which does not hand out spells;
• unapplied spells became untradable in the December 2015 Tough Break Update, so no new spells can be applied to items.

Spells that were already applied stay on their items. That's why "spelled" cosmetics and weapons are their own niche in the TF2 economy. If you want one, you have to buy an item that already has the spell. Check the item's attributes carefully before you buy, because the spell is listed there.

Halloween-Restricted Cosmetics Explained

Many Halloween cosmetics carry a holiday restriction. According to the TF2 Wiki, you can only equip these items while Halloween mode is active, which in practice means during the October to November event period. Items with the "Halloween / Full Moon" restriction can also be worn during full moons.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Restricted doesn't mean untradable. Many restricted items can be traded and sold like any other cosmetic all year round, even though you can only wear them during Halloween.
• Prices can be seasonal. Players who want to wear these items only can during the event, so restricted cosmetics often see more buyers in October.
• Check the description. The item tooltip states the holiday restriction, so you'll know before you buy whether you can wear it all year.

Scream Fortress 2026's case cosmetics are listed with Halloween-themed names, but whether each one is restricted is shown on the item itself. Check it in game or on the item's page before you buy.

What We Expect Over the Rest of the Event

The event is scheduled to end on 7 November 2026. After that, Halloween mode switches off, restricted cosmetics can't be equipped again until the next event (or a full moon, for "Full Moon" items), and the Halloween contracts disappear from the ConTracker. If you want this year's contract rewards, finish them before then.

We'll update this guide if Valve releases any patches during the event.

FAQ

When does Scream Fortress 2026 end?

It started on 1 October 2026 and is scheduled to end on 7 November 2026, according to the official TF2 update notes.

Is Scream Fortress 2026 Scream Fortress XVIII?

Yes. Scream Fortress 2025 was XVII and 2026 is XVIII.

What is the 2026 Halloween case called?

The Haunted Hoard Case. It contains the 23 community cosmetics of the Haunted Hoard Collection and has a bonus chance at a taunt Unusualifier.

How many Unusual effects were added for Halloween 2026?

21 in total: 11 for cosmetics and 10 for taunts.

Can I still get Halloween spells in TF2?

No. Spells haven't been obtainable since 2015. The only way to get one now is to buy an item that already has a spell applied.

Can I trade Halloween-restricted cosmetics outside of October?

Restricted items that are tradable can be traded at any time. The restriction only limits when you can equip them.