The Pumpkin Launcher in Roblox's Primal Pursuit is a limited-time Halloween event weapon designed for heavy burst damage using arc-based projectile physics. Unlike most survivor weapons that rely on instant hitscan registration, the Pumpkin Launcher fires explosive pumpkins along a parabolic curve, matching the damage profile of the Trike Shotgun while requiring careful vertical compensation at range.
General Information and Event Availability
The Pumpkin Launcher was introduced during Primal Pursuit's first Halloween Update in 2023 alongside the Skeleton T-Rex, the Bone Gun, and the Pumpkin Wagon vehicle. After the 2023 event closed, the weapon became unobtainable until it returned on October 27, 2024, in the second annual Halloween Update alongside the Zombie Spinosaurus, the Ghost Car, and the Acid Spitter.
During Halloween events, the weapon is purchased using seasonal pumpkin currency rather than standard Bones or direct Robux gamepasses. Players acquire pumpkins by gathering them across the map during rounds or by purchasing pumpkin packs from the in-game shop using Robux.
Weapon Stats and Combat Mechanics
The official community wiki and gameplay testing establish that the Pumpkin Launcher mirrors the core pacing of the Trike Shotgun, trading hitscan ease for sustained impact damage.
| Metric | Recorded Stat or Behavior |
|---|---|
| Fire Type | Ballistic Projectile (Arc trajectory) |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Baseline DPS | Approximately 87.5 |
| Damage per Shot | 87 to 175 on direct hits (recorded in player testing) |
| Benchmark Comparison | Trike Shotgun (similar rate of fire, damage, and reload pace) |
| Acquisition Cost | Event Pumpkin currency |
Gameplay tests show that each fired pumpkin requires a short reload delay between shots, preventing rapid full-auto spamming. While awkward vehicle collision angles can occasionally register low tick damage (such as 7 damage in testing clips), direct landed impacts on dinosaurs consistently register between 87 and 175 damage. In full survival rounds, players testing the weapon reached over 5,000 total damage when consistently landing their shots.
Aiming Mechanics and Playstyle
Because the launcher fires in a pronounced arc, shells drop rapidly over distance. At medium to long ranges, aiming directly at the dinosaur's model results in shots falling short. Players must aim substantially above the target's head to land hits across open clearings.
To counter the trajectory penalty, the recommended playstyle focuses on aggressive, close-to-medium range combat:
- Maintain line of sight while closing distance, firing grounded shots where target hitboxes are widest.
- Fire from elevated positions, such as towers or map rocks, allowing the downward arc to fall naturally onto pursuing dinosaurs.
- Avoid trading shots from low-speed, stationary positions; because the launcher holds only 6 rounds and reloads after individual cycles, missed shots leave survivors exposed.
Vehicle Synergies
Wiki documentation identifies high-mobility vehicles as the best pairing for the Pumpkin Launcher. Fast vehicles allow survivors to close the gap, fire heavy burst rounds, and quickly pull away before the dinosaur retaliates:
- Ghost Car (event vehicle with high acceleration)
- Hypercar
- Police Car
- Go-Kart (recommended for experienced drivers due to handling demands)
Pumpkin Launcher Skins
The weapon includes two event-exclusive skins purchasable with Halloween pumpkin currency in the event shop.
| Skin Name | Pumpkin Cost | Visual Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ghastly | 600 Pumpkins | Classic spooky Halloween theme |
| Nightmare | 1,200 Pumpkins | Bright purple nightmare-fuel styling |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Pumpkin Launcher hitscan or projectile-based?
The Pumpkin Launcher is strictly projectile-based. It launches physical pumpkin projectiles that travel with travel time and drop in an arc, requiring players to lead moving dinosaurs and aim upward over longer distances.
How does the Pumpkin Launcher compare to the Acid Spitter?
Both weapons are Halloween event exclusives, but they serve different roles. Player testing shows the Acid Spitter fires faster, flatter bursts delivering approximately 21 damage per 3-round burst (around 7 damage per projectile), whereas the Pumpkin Launcher deals substantially higher single-hit burst damage (87 to 175 damage per impact) at the cost of a steeper trajectory and slower reload pacing.
Can you get the Pumpkin Launcher when the Halloween event ends?
According to official game release records, the Pumpkin Launcher goes off-sale and becomes unobtainable once the Halloween seasonal event concludes, remaining locked until future Halloween event rotations.
