The June 2022 Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase had a very particular selling point, with every title on display “targeted to launch in the next 12 months.” Naturally plans change, andBethesda’s Starfield got delayed out of that showcase windowwhen it was announced to be releasing on June 13, 2025. One surprise appearance at that event was Team Cherry’sHollow Knight: Silksong, but in hindsight this may have putSilksongin a tricky situation.
First announced in February 2019, theHollow Knightexpansion-turned-sequel has largely stayed out of the public eye. Footage debuted at E3 2019’s Nintendo Treehouse livestream, but fans had little else to go on until Microsoft’s June 2022 event. Though an Xbox Wire graphic depicting the 2022 and 2023 release plans after that showcase did not includeHollow Knight: Silksong, it felt safe to assume news on its development would come more frequently. But with no major reveals since, there seem to be increasingly less “viable” release windows for Team Cherry to comfortably hit.
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Releasing Too Soon Could Compromise Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Quality
One likely reason forHollow Knight: Silksong’s silent development is obvious: the COVID-19 pandemic. Just three individuals from South Australia were responsible for 2017’s hit indie metroidvania, and Team Cherry has not ballooned in size to work onSilksong. This upcoming sequel also appears to be revamping a lot of the original experience to fit the unique skills of itsnew protagonist, Hornet, so it makes sense for Team Cherry to take its time if it wants to recaptureHollow Knight’s lightning in a bottle.
With the original game being so popular, one imagines a lengthy marketing cycle would precedeSilksong’s release. It feels unlikely anything will happen soon given the lack of updates since June 2022. However, Microsoft’s ecosystem became harder to judge afterTango Gameworks shadow-droppedHi-Fi Rushduring the Xbox & Bethesda Developer_Direct in January.Hollow Knight Silksongcould do something similar (despite being multi-platform), but it’s hard to say whether this kind of release would be a beneficial surprise for fans after long bouts of silence. Team Cherry shouldn’t rush itself to capitalize on a new, potentially lucrative trend.
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Releasing Too Late Could Bump Hollow Knight: Silksong Against Other Blockbusters
Releasing too late in the year could be just as problematic forHollow Knight: Silksongas getting out early, especially if Team Cherry is banking on itsday-one release through Xbox Game Passas a major marketing strategy (given its presence at the 2022 showcase, that seems to be the case). Fans will undoubtedly flock toSilksongwhenever it releases, as the first game’s strong word-of-mouth fostered a dedicated following. But if the game launches during the latter half of the year, it could risk competition with major AAA titles such asStarfield.
The modern gaming landscape is so stuffed with both AAA blockbusters and indies alike that there will never be a “perfect” time to release almost anything without competition. But the longer Team Cherry takes, the moreHollow Knight: Silksongstarts to resemble games likeGrand Theft Auto 6; announced so early that anticipation and rumors ultimately dull some peoples' excitement. Hopefully some information comes out soon that suggests the game isn’t floundering in development hell, because fans undoubtedly want Hornet to get plenty of time in the spotlight.
Hollow Knight: Silksongis in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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