The Dread Pumpkin lands in Shadowgate later this month

Shadowgate pumpkin

When I first read about Zojoi's "Dread Pumpkin Quest" update for Shadowgate, I thought for a second I'd have the opportunity to make a joke about hanging around in pumpkin patches, watching the night drift by whilst reconsidering one's life choices. That, of course, would reference the Great Pumpkin, not the Dread Pumpkin, a potentially embarrassing gaffe for any self-respecting Charlie Brown fan. But as it turns out, I wasn't entirely off-base.

And there is a little bit of Linus' most revered holiday hero in here, too. "With Halloween approaching, it was only natural to treat both new and existing players with an update that brings new game modes and improvements to current features. We think these additions will not only add replay value to the game, but make it a bit more fun for first time players unfamiliar with the Shadowgate franchise," Zojoi Design Directgor Karl Roelofs said in a statement. "Plus we’ve always wanted to do a side-quest paying homage to the Great Pumpkin but with our own take on the classic."

The Dread Pumpkin Quest update will go live later this month.

Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.