Nintendo has ended Kirby Air Riders’ Halloween event earlier than planned after players reported serious performance problems during online matches. The Trick or Treat event was originally scheduled to run from October 28 through November 4, but Nintendo pulled it after widespread reports of frozen screens.

The event gave the game’s main menu and paddock a Halloween makeover and offered exclusive cosmetics and bonuses, including Ghost-themed headwear. Nintendo says the event will return at some point, though it has not shared a new date.

The issue appears to have been tied to multiplayer chaos. Players shared clips showing their screens freezing while matches continued around them, making it difficult or impossible to keep playing. With many people online at once, the Halloween-themed event seems to have exposed a technical weakness in the game’s online systems.

Nintendo’s decision to cancel the event early was likely made to prevent more frustration, but it may still disappoint players who had already spent time trying to earn the limited-time rewards.

Nintendo has confirmed the event will come back, but it has not said whether that will happen before or after Halloween. Even if it returns later, players should still be able to use Halloween-style cosmetics outside of October, so the Ghost headwear and other rewards should retain their appeal.

The cancellation is a setback for a game that has otherwise kept its community engaged through in-game events. Director Masahiro Sakurai previously said Kirby Air Riders would not receive major DLC, but Nintendo has continued to run events to keep players returning to the Switch 2 racer.

Despite the Halloween hiccup, the Switch 2 era has been strong for Kirby. Kirby Air Riders launched in 2025 alongside a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Nintendo has another major entry planned for 2027: Kirby and the World Beyond, which appears to feature an open world and expanded use of Copy Abilities.