Gastly Spotlight Hour runs on Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. Gastly appears much more often in the wild, Shiny Gastly is possible, and every evolution gives double XP.
This is a mass-evolve week. The bonus applies to every Pokémon you evolve, so the preparation happens in the weeks before: saving Candy, saving cheap evolutions, and saving a Lucky Egg.
For the rest of the month’s lineup, see the October 2026 Spotlight Hour schedule.
Gastly Spotlight Hour: Confirmed Details
- Date and time: Thursday, October 29, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.
- Featured Pokémon: Gastly, which can be Shiny.
- Bonus: 2× XP for evolving Pokémon. Official Spotlight listings word this as applying to all evolutions.
- Evolution: Gastly evolves into Haunter for 25 Candy. Haunter evolves into Gengar for 100 Candy, or for free if it has been traded.
See the official events calendar for the current listing.
What isn’t stated
- Whether a Halloween event will overlap. None had been announced as of September 30.
- Whether Shiny Gastly odds are boosted.
What the Community Has Documented
- Base evolve XP: an evolution has given 500 XP for years, and 1,000 for a new Pokédex entry. During the hour, that should double.
- Lucky Eggs stack: players report that a Lucky Egg doubles evolve XP on top of event bonuses. Check the XP shown after your first evolution.
- Evolution speed: with practice, players report evolving roughly one Pokémon every 15 to 20 seconds. A 30-minute Lucky Egg fits about 90 to 120 evolutions.
Practical Application: The Lucky Egg Evolve
Example: over October, you save 100 cheap evolutions: Pidgey, Weedle, Caterpie, Wurmple, and Gastly. At 6:00 p.m. you catch Gastly for 15 minutes to top up your Candy. At 6:15 you activate a Lucky Egg and start evolving. If each evolution gives about 2,000 XP with both bonuses, 100 evolutions earn around 200,000 XP in one Lucky Egg.
A few rules follow from this:
- Save cheap evolutions all month. Pidgey, Weedle, Caterpie, and Wurmple cost 12 Candy and evolve quickly.
- Catch Gastly first, evolve second. Gastly Candy from the hour lets you evolve more Haunter.
- Count your evolutions before 6:00 p.m. Make sure you have enough for a full 30-minute Lucky Egg.
- Evolve a new species first. A new Pokédex entry gives extra XP, so do those while the bonus is active.
- Use the trade trick for Gengar. A traded Haunter evolves into Gengar for free. Trade Haunter with a friend before the hour, then save the evolve for the Spotlight Hour to double its XP. If you’ve already earned the Lucky Trinket from GO Pass October, it expires November 8, so a Lucky trade of two Haunter with a Great Friend gives you both a free Gengar evolution and a Lucky Pokémon.
Tracking Before You Evolve
When you evolve 100 Pokémon in half an hour, it’s easy to use one you meant to keep, like a high-IV Gastly or a Haunter set aside for a trade.
A tracker like GoDex helps you check first. Scan catch screenshots to read CP and IVs, tag the Pokémon you’re keeping, and note which Haunter you’re saving for a trade evolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Gastly Spotlight Hour? Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time.
Does 2× Evolution XP only apply to Gastly? No. It applies to every Pokémon you evolve during the hour.
Can I get Gengar without 100 Candy? Yes. A Haunter that has been traded evolves into Gengar for free.
Can Gastly be Shiny? Yes. The listing doesn’t say whether the Shiny chance is boosted.
Key Takeaways
- Save cheap evolutions all month for October 29.
- Activate a Lucky Egg before you start evolving.
- Trade Haunter before the hour and evolve them during it for free.
- Evolve new Pokédex entries first for extra XP.
We do our best to keep these guides accurate, but Pokémon GO mechanics change often. If you spot a mistake or something that's out of date, please send us feedback — we'll fix it.
About GoDex
A free companion app for tracking your collection, scanning IVs from screenshots, and checking PVP rankings. Available on iOS and Android.
