After years of speculation, memes, and endless anticipation, it’s finally happening: Hollow Knight: Silksong will launch on September 4, 2025. The announcement came in the form of a new trailer from Team Cherry, ending six years of silence and giving fans the date they’ve been waiting for.
A Long Road to Release
Silksong’s journey began in 2017 when the original Hollow Knight became an indie sensation. The hand-drawn action-platformer about tiny bugs exploring a decaying kingdom captured hearts worldwide, eventually selling 15 million copies. At first, Silksong was meant to be a small expansion featuring Hornet, a fan-favorite character. But as development progressed, the project grew far beyond its original scope and evolved into a full-fledged sequel.
Team Cherry officially announced Silksong in 2019, setting off a hype cycle that only grew stronger as years passed with little news. Fans flooded online communities, livestream chats, and even gaming events with the infamous cry: “Silksong when?”
Now, after years of mystery and speculation, that question finally has an answer.
Why Did It Take So Long?
Unlike many prolonged development cycles plagued by crunch or setbacks, Team Cherry insists that Silksong’s delay was not the result of mismanagement or burnout. In fact, the team describes the process as “joyful.”
Co-founders Ari Gibson and William Pellen, speaking from their Adelaide office, said the game was never “stuck” — it simply took time to become the sequel they envisioned. With only a handful of developers, including programmer Jack Vine and composer Christopher Larkin, the team worked steadily, expanding the game’s scope while making sure every detail met their standards.
“We could have kept going forever,” Pellen admitted. “The only reason we’re stopping is because we have to release the game.”
Building a Bigger World
From the start, Silksong aimed to differentiate itself from Hollow Knight while keeping the same sense of mystery and exploration. Hornet, the new protagonist, plays very differently from the Knight, and her abilities demanded entirely new gameplay systems.
Team Cherry also introduced a quest system to encourage players to revisit locations and interact with the world in deeper ways. Unlike Hollow Knight’s single central hub, Silksong features multiple towns, each offering new quests, characters, and reasons to explore.
Over time, the game’s world grew larger than the developers expected. Elaborate bosses, reactive environments, and new systems added to the workload — but also made Silksong feel like more than just a sequel.
Silence Fueled the Hype
One reason anticipation built to near-mythical levels is that Team Cherry went silent after 2019. They stopped posting updates, worried that constant “we’re still working on it” messages would frustrate players. They also wanted to avoid spoilers. Much of Hollow Knight’s magic came from its secrets, and they wanted Silksong to deliver the same surprises.
That silence only fueled the community’s obsession. On Reddit and Twitter, fans joked, speculated, and created “silkposts,” turning the wait into a meme-filled tradition. Even gaming livestreams were regularly spammed with cries for a release date.
Meanwhile, Team Cherry kept their heads down and kept working. “It felt like our actual responsibility was just to finish the game,” Pellen explained.
The Advantage of Staying Small
Most game studios rely on complex management tools and large teams, but Team Cherry stayed intentionally small. The founders avoided traditional management software and corporate structures, preferring a free-flowing creative style. Ideas were tested quickly, and if something was fun, it made its way into the game.
That flexibility, combined with financial security from Hollow Knight’s success, allowed the team to work without the pressure of deadlines. Unlike their early days of living off leftover sandwiches, they now had the stability to take their time and polish Silksong until it matched their vision.
What Fans Can Expect
When Silksong launches on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, players will step into Hornet’s shoes and explore a new kingdom filled with dangers, secrets, and characters. The game promises:
- A larger world than Hollow Knight
- Multiple quest-driven towns
- More elaborate bosses and combat systems
- Interactive environments that react to Hornet’s tools
- Plenty of hidden secrets to discover
Team Cherry isn’t stopping at launch either. Gibson and Pellen confirmed they already have plans for post-release content, ensuring that Silksong will continue to evolve in the years ahead.
The Wait Is Over
For six years, Silksong has been gaming’s ultimate question mark — a title so anticipated that its name became shorthand for “the game that will never release.” But now, after endless speculation, fans can mark their calendars.
On September 4, 2025, the wait will finally end. And for Team Cherry, it’s just the beginning.
“Launching it is obviously quite exciting,” Pellen said. “But what comes after is equally exciting.”
