Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally released after years of hype and the impact has been felt by the whole gaming community. The long-awaited sequel to Hollow Knight, created by the small Australian studio Team Cherry, was released on September 4, 2025, and within minutes of its release, it crashed digital stores such as Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo eShop due to the large amount of demand.
What started as a somewhat straightforward DLC expansion in 2019, has since transformed into one of the most acclaimed indie game releases of the decade. This article includes the timeline, the availability of various platforms on its launch day, technical problems encountered during the launch day, the community response, and why Silksong is such a big moment in indie games.
Global Release and Simultaneous Rollout for Everyone
Silksong launched globally at the same time across all regions. The official release time was confirmed by IGN to be 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM BST / 7:30 PM IST on September 4.
Instead of releasing the game in staggered regions, Team Cherry took the risky decision to launch the game in every country at the same time, so that players in every country could have an equal opportunity to immerse themselves. This choice also helped to prevent excess early spoilers and gave a bonding moment between fans.
We didn’t want anyone left behind, Team Cherry said during pre-launch interviews. A global fanbase deserves a global launch.
As GamesRadar’s live coverage noted, countdowns started over 24 hours in advance, with players refreshing store pages seconds before the unlock window.
Platform Availability and Price
Silksong is now available on a wide range of platforms:
- PC via Steam
- Nintendo Switch and Switch 2
- PlayStation 4 and 5
- Xbox One and Series X|S
- macOS and Linux
In addition, it launched day-one on Xbox Game Pass, giving subscribers access to the full game at no additional cost. The pricing is remarkably consumer-friendly. As TechRadar reported, the game costs $19.99 USD / €19.99 / £16.99, which is only $5 more than the original Hollow Knight. In a time where AAA games frequently charge $70, Silksong is a refreshing change.
It’s a masterclass in fair pricing,” wrote IGN. “You’re not just paying for content, you’re paying for craft.
Steam Crashes and Storefront Chaos
Just minutes after going live, digital storefronts began crashing due to the rush of players. Steam, Nintendo eShop, and even PlayStation Network faced errors, slow downloads, and failed purchases. The Verge reported that the Steam store briefly went offline, with some users getting “An error occurred while processing your request” messages.
Silksong’s release is hammering Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo stores, the outlet wrote. This is the power of a truly beloved indie title.
Even fans who preloaded the game on consoles experienced delays in the unlock process, and some had to restart their systems just to begin playing. According to SteamDB, the game surpassed 110,000 concurrent players within the first three hours, higher than many recent AAA launches.
A Six-Year Journey Ends
The wait for Silksong became legendary in the gaming community. Originally announced in February 2019, the game had no official release date for years. Fans created memes, jokes, and even full communities around the wait. YouTuber Araraura gained attention for uploading daily “No News Today” videos doing it for over 800 days straight.
We turned waiting into a form of art, said one Reddit moderator in an interview with Wired. It wasn’t just about hoping anymore. It was about creating joy from the anticipation.
Even developers of other indie games delayed their releases to avoid competing with Silksong’s launch window, a rare move that shows just how influential this sequel has become.
Gameplay Improvements and What’s New
In Hollow Knight: Silksong, players control Hornet, a character who previously appeared in the first game as both a rival and ally. Her moveset is faster, more acrobatic, and combat-oriented than the Knight’s.
New features include:
- Crafting tools and items
- A revamped quest system
- Larger, vertical map design
- Dynamic enemy scaling and boss battles
- Over 165 new enemies, according to IGN
Team Cherry co-director William Pellen explained that the game started as a DLC but grew in scope:
We didn’t want to cut corners. What began as an expansion became a new world, new music, new systems… it had to be a full sequel, he said in an early Edge interview. The world of Pharloom, where the game is set, is described as “hauntingly beautiful,” filled with ancient cities, tangled forests, and unforgiving underground labyrinths.
Critical Reception So Far
While full reviews are still rolling in, early impressions are glowing. GamesRadar called the opening sequence “a breathtaking mix of beauty and dread.” IGN said Silksong’s first few hours “feel more confident and polished than most AAA games this year.”
TechRadar’s live blog praised the soundtrack, calling it “both meditative and terrifying—just like Hallownest’s best moments.” Even longtime critics of Metroidvanias are coming around. The Washington Post said:
It rewards patience, curiosity, and emotional investment. Silksong doesn’t just continue a story—it deepens a legacy.
What Makes This Launch So Special
There are many reasons why Silksong is more than just another game launch. First, it’s a massive moment for indie development. Team Cherry consists of just three main developers. Despite that, they’ve crafted a game that’s outperforming AAA titles in excitement and sales.
Second, the community-driven anticipation surrounding the game was unmatched. Instead of marketing through traditional means, Silksong lived in fan-made art, theory threads, and livestream countdowns. Finally, the technical polish and affordable price make it feel like a labor of love rather than a corporate product.
Silksong proves you don’t need millions in marketing to build hype. You need heart, time, and trust, wrote a fan on Reddit.
Final Thoughts
Hollow Knight: Silksong is not only a sequel but also a tribute to passion, creativity and community. Team Cherry has created a game that is not only as good as its predecessor, but in many ways, even better. The fact that it was launched globally simultaneously, even though it had technical difficulties on digital storefronts, shows just how much the world wanted it and loved it.
The real genius of Silksong is that the game combines some of the most difficult gameplay, breathtaking visuals, and moving narratives, yet it is approachable and reasonably priced. It is a shining example of what indie developers can achieve with their hopes and dreams in mind.
To gamers all over the world, Silksong is not simply a game release but rather a collective experience that brings both old and new fans together in the enchanted and mysterious world of Pharloom. It is your first time or you are going back to find out all the secrets, Silksong is going to give you a journey to remember as it will stay with you even long after you finish.
As TechRadar beautifully puts it, “Silksong is a labor of love that reminds us why we play games to explore, to overcome, and to feel truly alive in worlds crafted with care.” So if you haven’t jumped in yet, now is the perfect time. Prepare to be amazed, challenged, and completely immersed. Hollow Knight: Silksong has arrived, and it’s a masterpiece worth every second of the wait.
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