Complete Halloween: Rumors in Escape from Tarkov by accepting Skier's task, entering Infected Factory, and killing 10 infected; you do not need to extract.
Skier offers this opening Halloween assignment at character level 1 during the limited-time event introduced on October 29, 2026. The objectives are simple, but Factory's corridors fill quickly once gunfire attracts infected. Pistol-carrying enemies and infected Tagilla make careless reloads expensive. Bring loaded spare magazines, keep a retreat open, and leave the boss alone unless you have another reason to fight him.
What counts as completing Halloween: Rumors?
Open Traders, select Skier, and accept Halloween: Rumors. There is no prerequisite quest or higher trader loyalty requirement, so a level 1 character can begin immediately while the event is available.
Your task has two requirements:
- Enter Infected Factory, the separate Halloween event location.
- Eliminate 10 infected on that map.
Unlike the radar-parts stashes in the Escape from Tarkov Stealing the Stolen quest, Halloween: Rumors has no collection or planting stage. You also do not need to unlock a quest door or defeat Tagilla. Both objectives can be finished in a single raid.
Skier's Halloween task objectives
Entering Infected Factory registers the visit objective automatically. After that, the infected elimination counter is the progress indicator that matters. Check it between fights rather than assuming every hectic encounter has brought you to 10.
What should you pack for the event raid?
A practical close-range loadout is enough for Halloween: Rumors. Shotguns, submachine guns, and controllable assault rifles suit Factory's short sightlines. High-capacity magazines help when several infected arrive together, but having additional magazines already loaded is just as important.
Prioritize ammunition you can reload quickly
Pack several loaded magazines and reserve ammunition before entering Infected Factory. Loose rounds help between encounters, but filling an empty magazine while infected rush through a doorway leaves you exposed. A magazine swap is the better option during active pressure.
Use this preparation checklist:
- Choose a weapon you can control in Factory's corridors.
- Load spare magazines before the raid.
- Carry additional ammunition for pauses between fights.
- Bring a medical kit and treatments for both heavy and light bleeding.
- Add water if you expect to remain in the raid for a while.
Prepare for bleeding and the Virus effect
Infected attacks can cause bleeding and apply Virus, which temporarily impairs hearing and increases hydration loss. Treat bleeding promptly so you are not losing health while trying to control the next group. Water becomes more useful if the fighting keeps you on Factory longer than planned.
Virus disappears after extraction or death. Halloween: Rumors does not require a special cure item, so your preparation should focus on ammunition, injury treatment, and keeping enough distance to avoid repeated melee hits.
Where do you select Infected Factory?
On the pre-raid location selection screen, use the red Halloween button in the upper-right corner. This switches the selection away from regular locations and displays the event maps. Choose Infected Factory, then enter as your PMC.
Map access differs from the Icebreaker transit in the Escape from Tarkov Pay the Fare quest: you select Infected Factory directly, without a special access keycard.
Check these event-map limits before queuing:
| Infected Factory rule | What it means for your attempt |
|---|---|
| 20-minute raid duration | Keep the run focused on the 10 infected kills |
| Maximum group size of 3 players | Plan your squad within the event limit |
| Typically 4-6 players in PvP raids | Infected are not the only potential threat |
| Gate 0 and Gate 3 extraction options | Check which exits are available during your raid |
| No insurance returns | A failed attempt can cost the entire kit |
Infected Factory uses Factory's industrial rooms and connecting passages, with Halloween changes and infected encounters. Familiarity with those passages helps you retreat, but the event selector is what gets you into the location required by Skier.
How do you control infected fights on Factory?
Infected spawn throughout Factory and move toward gunfire. On Halloween event maps, loud combat can attract them from roughly 80 meters away. That makes searching every room unnecessary, but it also means your first fight can bring pressure through several nearby passages.
Choose a position you can leave
Look for a corridor where you can see approaching infected and still retreat through a clear route. Avoid committing to a small room with only one exit. Factory's narrow spaces are useful for lining up shots until another group cuts off the way out.
Use a repeatable fighting loop:
- Engage an infected while keeping your retreat clear.
- Eliminate the approaching group with aimed shots or controlled bursts.
- Check adjacent entrances before reloading or healing.
- Move if enemies begin approaching through multiple passages.
- Check quest progress during a safe pause.
Which infected should you shoot first?
Distance and enemy weapons determine your target priority on Infected Factory. A melee attacker already within reach needs immediate attention. Otherwise, a pistol-carrying infected PMC is a serious problem because it can shoot while other infected close in.
| Threat | Why it matters | Recommended response |
|---|---|---|
| Melee infected within striking distance | Can hit you before a reload finishes | Deal with the immediate attacker and create space |
| Pistol-carrying infected PMC | Adds ranged damage during a rush | Take a clear shot before engaging distant melee enemies |
| Other approaching infected | Can reach you while you reload or heal | Aim carefully and maintain your retreat route |
| Infected Tagilla | Creates an unnecessary boss encounter | Disengage rather than spending the quest run fighting him |
Pistol threats among the infected
Aim for infected heads whenever you have a clear shot. Body shots can take several hits, and some infected also survive multiple head hits. Do not assume the first impact has finished a target; keep enough space to confirm the kill without letting the next enemy reach you.
What should you do if Tagilla appears?
Infected Tagilla can interrupt your fights on Factory, but killing him is not part of Halloween: Rumors. Use connecting rooms and corridors to create distance, watching for infected blocking the retreat. Fighting him consumes ammunition and creates more noise, which can draw additional enemies.
Once your counter reaches 10, extra combat does nothing for this assignment. If the raid ends before you finish, inspect the recorded task progress before preparing another attempt.
When should you extract and turn in the quest?
Halloween: Rumors is forgiving for a quest in an extraction shooter: successful extraction is optional for quest completion. Once the visit and 10 infected eliminations have registered, dying afterward does not add a new requirement.
Extracting remains the better outcome if you want to keep your equipment and collected items. Check your available exits and head toward Gate 0 or Gate 3 when the objectives are complete. There is little reason to risk an uninsured kit on another infected group just because ammunition remains.
What rewards does Skier give you?
Return to Skier and turn in Halloween: Rumors after completing both objectives. The equipment rewards form an AA-12 package, alongside 26,000 EXP and a currency payout that increases with Intelligence Center bonuses.
| Reward | Quantity or details |
|---|---|
| Experience | 26,000 EXP |
| MPS Auto Assault-12 Gen 2 12ga automatic shotgun | 1, TerraGroup Labs variant |
| AA-12 12ga 20-round drum magazine | 3 magazines |
| 12/70 SuperFormance HP slug ammo pack | 4 packs of 25 rounds, totaling 100 rounds |
| Currency payout | Increased by Intelligence Center levels 1 and 2 |
Completing Halloween: Rumors opens Halloween: The Best Defense from Skier and Halloween: Follow-Up Examination from Therapist. The Best Defense sends you to Infected Lab for more infected eliminations, while Follow-Up Examination involves investigating the outbreak and recovering a sample from a deceased scientist.
For Rumors itself, keep the run disciplined: select Infected Factory, arrive with loaded magazines, confirm 10 infected kills, and return to Skier. Tagilla is a detour you do not need.
