When is the Hollow Knight Silksong release date? Silksong is the long-awaited sequel to 2017’s immensely popular Hollow Knight. We don’t use the phrase ‘long-awaited’ lightly either, since over half a decade has passed since the game’s announcement.
Just like its predecessor, Hollow Knight Silksong is a 2D platform game that adopts a non-linear progression system. Set in an underground realm inhabited by bugs, you can expect to explore gloomy grottos and ancient citadels, fight off their quarrelsome occupants, and unlock powerful skills and equipment. Here’s everything we know about the Hollow Knight Silksong release date, including gameplay and trailers.
Hollow Knight Silksong release date estimate
After numerous delays, Hollow Knight Silksong no longer has a precise release date. Judging by the number of delays the game has been through, we expect Hollow Knight Silksong to launch in late 2024 at the absolute earliest.
Silksong was initially slated for the first half of 2023, but an update from developer studio Team Cherry’s Matthew Griffin on Twitter/X confirms this is no longer the case. Griffin quickly reassured fans that development is ongoing but that Silksong has ‘gotten quite big’ and needs more time.
On April 1, 2024, Griffin posted again on Twitter/X that the Microsoft Store page is now live. This was initially taken as a prank, but Xbox product marketing manager Tao Sila also posted that it “isn’t an April Fools joke. The [Hollow Knight Silksong] Wishlist page really is up on Xbox”. This wouldn’t be significant on its own, but it has an ESRB rating of 10+. These ratings generally appear once the game enters the final stages of development. In addition, the Silksong Australia rating from the country’s government classification board has also published its rating of the game as PG (Parental Guidance) for “mild violence”.
Hollow Knight Silksong was first announced in February 2019, roughly two years after its predecessor. Initially intended to be Hollow Knight DLC, it quickly became a standalone sequel. A few months after the announcement, Team Cherry said they wouldn’t name a release date until they were sure the game was up to par with the original Hollow Knight.
After three awfully quiet years, it appeared that the time had finally come in June 2022. As part of the Xbox and Bethesda Games showcase, the developers promised a release within 12 months, a promise that Xbox later reaffirmed to fans on Twitter. However, it seems we’ll be waiting to get our hands on it for some time.
Naturally, there’s been plenty of speculation as fans keep their ear to the ground for any whisper of new developments. Reddit user ReFlectioH spotted a manual update to the game’s official Steam page on March 2, sparking new hopes that a potential Hollow Knight Silksong release date announcement is on the horizon.
Hollow Knight Silksong is due to launch on PC via Steam, as well as on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S.
Is Hollow Knight Silksong on Game Pass?
People of Hallownest rejoice: Hollow Knight Silksong is coming to Xbox Game Pass. What’s more, the indie game will be available to download on day one, meaning Game Pass subscribers will have access to it at launch and will probably be able to pre-load it, too.
Hollow Knight Silksong trailers
Hollow Knight Silksong’s announcement trailer spotlights the game’s protagonist, Hornet, as she escapes from captivity. While demonstrating Hornet’s agile needle-wielding skills, the trailer reveals a variety of colorful scenes, all set in a brand-new kingdom. This mysterious underground realm is brimming with bug life, featuring quaint towns with adorable NPCs as well as dark corners inhabited by deadly foes.
The more recent Game Pass reveal trailer is a bit shorter but shows even more gameplay mechanics and enemy types, with a set piece featuring rising lava that looks pretty heated.
Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay
As shown by the Hollow Knight Silksong trailers, we’ll be playing as Hornet instead of the Knight this time. Fans of the series will recognize Hornet as the princess-protector of Hallownest, one of the main characters in the original Hollow Knight game. The official website confirms that Hornet has been taken captive in an unfamiliar kingdom in Hollow Knight Silksong, and she must fight her way to the surface to escape.
There are an enormous number of foes in Hollow Knight Silksong, featuring over 150 new enemies, many of them powerful bosses. Not a problem for our brave hero, who may rely on her trusty needle weapon, acrobatic combat moves, and the occasional respawn. We’ve also been promised many new items and tools, including a ‘Pimpillo’ bomb.
Just like the first Hollow Knight, Hornet needs to hit her opponents to obtain Soul. She can use this Soul to heal her shells (HP) in a move called Bind. Unlike the Knight’s Focus ability, Hornet’s Bind is much faster, especially since she can replenish several shells at once. As a downside, Bind uses the full stack of Soul, so it’s harder to plan.
As explained in another developer blog, mapping the world is similar to the original Hollow Knight. You’ll dive head-first into an unexplored area without any guidance, and as you progress, you gain access to maps and markers. While exploring, Hornet may pick up quests from friendly NPCs or on notice boards.
Perhaps the most significant change in this Hollow Knight sequel is that the protagonist has a voice. That’s right; the hero in Hollow Knight: Silksong isn’t silent. Get ready for Hornet’s snarky remarks as you jump, crawl, and slash your way through the insect kingdom.
Those who hunger for even more Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay should take a look at the Nintendo Treehouse playthrough from E3 2019, which may have teased Hornet’s mentor. Unless you’d rather avoid spoilers, the first few fights give a great impression of the Hornet’s fighting style and the sort of enemies you might encounter. No, it doesn’t reveal all 150+ of them.
In December 2019, the Hollow Knight Silksong score composer, Christopher Larkin, shared the first two soundtrack samples. The tracks, called Lace and Bonebottom, are free to download.
That’s everything we know about Hollow Knight Silksong for now. Looks like we’ll have to be patient for a while longer and perhaps play another great Hollow Knight-like Metroidvania game in the meantime.