Phasmophobia’s Winter’s Jest Secretly Added 3 New Ghosts
Shadow Dropping 3 New Ghosts for the Holidays...
Okay, you got me!
Kinetic Games has officially kicked off Winter’s Jest 2025 in Phasmophobia, bringing back Krampus, festive decorations, and a funderful dose of Double XP to keep ghost hunters busy through the holidays. At first glance, the update looks like a pretty standard seasonal refresh…
But that first glance is exactly what Kinetic was counting on.
While reading through the Phasmophobia patch notes, most players likely missed one tiny, absolutely unhinged detail.
Not because it wasn’t there – but because the developers hid it in plain sight.
The words “OBAMBO GALLU DAYAN” were included in the damn notes using the same color as the background, making the text completely invisible unless you highlighted it or copy/pasted the section somewhere else.
Yes. Really. And I respect it!
Image: Secret Ghosts Added in Phasmophobia Patch Notes | Kinetic Games
It’s the kind of sneaky trick that feels perfectly on-brand for Phasmophobia. And once players realized what had been hidden, the discovery sent the community spiraling.
Three ghost names. Zero explanations. No follow up in the Steam announcement. Just three new entities silently slipping into the game while everyone else was distracted by Krampus.
Naturally, ghost hunters did what they do best…they started hunting for answers.
The Official Winter’s Jest Update (The Boring, Responsible Part)
Before we get into the big funsies, let’s quickly cover what Kinetic Games actually confirmed in their Winter’s Jest announcement.
Winter’s Jest has officially returned, along with the Krampus ghost model, which can appear across event maps for a limited time. For the first week of the event, running from December 16 to December 23, players can earn Double XP and money from all investigations. That alone makes this one of the best times to level up, especially for newer players.
A handful of quality-of-life updates also landed with the patch, including:
Ghost types now being sorted alphabetically in the Journal (English only)
Nell’s Diner unlocking earlier at Level 5
Lowered RAM usage across all maps
Dead players no longer receiving ghost identification event points
Image: New Evidence Layout in Phasmophobia Journal | Kinetic Games
There’s also a long list of bug fixes (mostly centered around Nell’s Diner, VR teleport issues, and some long-standing interaction bugs). You can read the full official breakdown directly from Kinetic Games’ blog.
All pretty standard stuff…until those three unexplained ghost names show up and change the entire conversation.
The New Phasmophobia Ghosts Kinetic Didn’t Talk About
Despite not being visible anywhere in the blog post or Steam announcement, players began encountering Obambo, Gallu, and Dayan almost immediately after the update went live.
Screenshots of Journals, completed contracts, and ghost selections started popping up across Reddit and Discord within hours.
According to early community testing and shared experiences, these ghosts aren’t event-only gimmicks. They appear to be fully integrated ghost types, meaning they will permanently expand Phasmophobia’s already massive roster.
Here’s what players have pieced together so far.
Obambo: The Wild Card
Strengths: While aggressive, the Obambo is quicker to start hunting.
Weaknesses: While calm, the Obambo is slower to start hunting and easier to track.
- Ghost Writing
- Ultraviolet
- D.O.T.S. Projector
Image: New Obambo Journal Entry in Phasmo | Kinetic Games
Obambo is already gaining a reputation as one of the most unpredictable ghosts in the game.
Players report sudden spikes in activity that don’t follow the usual patterns. One moment the investigation feels quiet and manageable, and the next, Obambo is chain-interacting with objects, draining sanity, and pushing toward hunts without much warning.
The working theory is that Obambo reacts heavily to player presence and disturbances in its room. Touching too many items, stacking equipment, or lingering too long may agitate it far faster than other ghosts. If this behavior holds up, Obambo could punish sloppy setups and force teams to play cleaner and faster.
In short, Obambo feels like a ghost designed to keep you guessing and second-guessing every move.
Gallu: Hates Your Safety Net
Strengths: Using protective equipment pushes the ghost to become enraged, weakening equipment effects.
Weaknesses: Being enraged exhausts the Gallu, making protective equipment more effective.
- EMF Level 5
- Ultraviolet
- Spirit Box
Image: New Gallu Journal Entry in Phasmo | Kinetic Games
Early encounters suggest Gallu reacts aggressively to protective equipment, particularly crucifixes and incense. Players have reported increased activity and faster hunts shortly after placing defensive items in the ghost room, almost as if Gallu takes it personally.
Interestingly, some reports also suggest that Gallu may burn out faster after these aggressive spikes, becoming weaker or less active afterward. That could introduce a risk-reward dynamic where baiting Gallu into early aggression might actually give experienced teams an edge.
If confirmed, Gallu would flip traditional safety strategies on their head, punishing players who rely too heavily on protection instead of positioning and timing.
Dayan: Movement Is Your Enemy
Strengths: The Dayan gains strength to protect herself if people ‘dance’ too close to her.
Weaknesses: The Dayan loses strength if people close to her stand still.
- EMF Level 5
- Ghost Orb
- Spirit Box
Image: New Dayan Journal Entry in Phasmo | Kinetic Games
Dayan might be the creepiest of the three.
Community testing points toward a ghost that is heavily movement-based. Players suspect Dayan can track or detect investigators more easily while they are moving, but becomes slower or less dangerous when targets remain still.
That’s a terrifying concept in practice. Panic running, constant repositioning, or noisy retreats could actively make Dayan more lethal. On the flip side, calm hiding and controlled movement may dramatically reduce its effectiveness.
If Dayan behaves this way consistently, it could become one of the most punishing ghosts for newer players who tend to sprint first and think later.
New Ghost Folklore Clues Hidden in the Names
What makes these additions even more interesting to me is that none of the names appear random.
Dayan closely resembles “Daayan,” a figure from Indian folklore describing a malevolent spirit or witch known for stalking victims and draining life. The movement-based behavior lines up eerily well with that inspiration.
Gallu may draw from ancient Mesopotamian mythology, where Gallu demons were underworld entities that dragged victims into darkness…fitting for a ghost that lashes out violently when confronted with protective tools.
Obambo is less documented but may have roots in African folklore describing unpredictable spirit entities tied to land, mud, or territory, which fits its volatile behavior and sensitivity to player interference.
None of this is officially confirmed, but the thematic consistency feels very intentional.
What This Means for Phasmo Going Forward
With Obambo, Gallu, and Dayan as the new permanent additions…Phasmophobia just got a lot more dangerous.
These ghosts seem designed to punish bad habits, force players to rethink safety strategies, and reward patience and adaptability. That’s a smart evolution for a game that many long-time players can almost solve on autopilot.
Combined with Winter’s Jest and the return of Krampus, this update feels less like a simple holiday event and more like a stealth expansion.
If you want a full breakdown of Winter’s Jest objectives, rewards, and how the event works, be sure to check out our previous Winter’s Jest article.
And for all of our ongoing Phasmophobia guides, updates, and news, you can find everything in one place on ReportAFK.
Just…maybe keep an eye on your Journal. Kinetic Games has a habit of letting the ghosts do the talking.
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