Kirby Air Riders 'Trick or Treat' Event Scrapped After Severe Freezing Glitches

Key points

• The 'Trick or Treat!' event for Kirby Air Riders was cancelled by Nintendo on October 30, 2026, due to critical performance bugs.
• Players experienced frequent screen freezes during gameplay, which caused them to lose control of their characters and fall off stages, resulting in the loss of boosts and items.
• The event was originally scheduled to run from October 28 to November 4, 2026, and offered Halloween-themed cosmetics and materials as rewards.
• Nintendo acknowledged the issue in a statement, confirming that the event would be cancelled and that the rewards would be made available in a future event.
• The technical issues are believed to be caused by the chaotic accumulation of power-ups during the event, which overwhelmed the Nintendo Switch 2's processing capabilities.

Background

Kirby Air Riders, developed by HAL Laboratory and directed by Masahiro Sakurai, was released last year as a follow-up to the GameCube classic Kirby Air Ride. The game features online events that allow players to earn stickers, themes, and street names to customize their in-game drivers. This incident follows a pattern of Nintendo addressing technical issues in its online events, as seen with other games like Pokémon Pokopia, which launched a Halloween update in October 2026.

How outlets are covering it

Nintendo Everything and GoNintendo both reported that the event was cancelled due to performance issues, with Nintendo Everything noting that the game was 'very close to unplayable' and GoNintendo emphasizing that the issue could not be fixed quickly. OpenCritic highlighted that the event was originally intended to run from October 28 through November 4, ending about a week before the final wave of Kirby Air Riders amiibo are set to be released. Nintendo Wire suggested that the freezing issues were likely caused by a mixture of poor connections and the chaotic nature of the 'Trick or Treat!' event, which allowed players to accumulate a ridiculous amount of power-ups in a short span, overwhelming the Nintendo Switch 2's CPU.

Why it matters

The cancellation of the 'Trick or Treat!' event highlights the challenges Nintendo faces in ensuring the stability of its online events, particularly on the Nintendo Switch 2. The incident may raise concerns about the game's long-term stability and the company's ability to address technical issues in a timely manner. However, Nintendo's commitment to reintroducing the event with its rewards suggests a willingness to address the issues and provide players with the intended experience.

What to watch

Nintendo has promised to reintroduce the 'Trick or Treat!' event at a later date, once the technical issues have been resolved. The company has not provided a specific timeline for the event's return, but it has assured players that the rewards will be made available in a future event. Players can expect updates from Nintendo regarding the event's return and any changes that may be made to address the performance issues.