The April 2 Nintendo Direct presentation revealed thatHollow Knight: Silksongis launching in 2025, and that it will come to the Switch 2, and fans are now eagerly awaiting more news from indie developer Team Cherry. After years of scarce details on the follow-up to 2017’s acclaimedHollow Knight, the game’s appearance at the Direct was a welcome sign for fans who’ve been waiting patiently for a release window. Notably, whileHollow Knight: Silksonghas finally broken its silence, it did so quietly, and aside from confirming a 2025 release window, little else about the game was shared.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 set to release on June 5 in most territories, theHollow Knightsequel is likely to launch sometime after that date, but potentially before it is part of the Game Worlds exhibition at ACMI in September. As confirmed on the ACMI website, Game Worlds will transport players into the “levels of 30 unforgettable video games,” including the “highly anticipated Australian titleHollow Knight: Silksong.” And yet, if Team Cherry’s upcoming game doesn’t turn out to be a groundbreaking title in the Metroidvania genre, that has to be okay.
Expectations Are High for Silksong, But It Doesn’t Need to Meet Them All
Hollow Knight and the Birth of the Modern Indie Metroidvania
WhenHollow Knightreleased in 2017, it quickly earned several accolades, including PC Gamer’s Best Platformer in 2017 and Independent Game of the Year at the 2018 Australian Game Awards. This isn’t surprising, considering that when the game launched, it wasn’t just a compelling addition to the Metroidvania genre, it expanded and redefined what that genre could be. Priced at just $15 USD, the game excelled in multiple areas, boasting a vast amount of content, richly interconnected environments and story, free DLC updates, and gameplay that was easy to pick up but difficult to master.
The addictive appeal ofHollow Knightisn’t hard to pinpoint: its methodical combat, complex platforming, and compelling narrative set in the fallen world of Hallownest all contribute significantly to its success. Similar to 1994’sSuper Metroid, which told a meaningful story with minimal dialogue and cutscenes and inspired games likeHollow KnightandOri and the Blind Forest,Hollow Knightitself sparked a wave of games that could be described as “Hollow Knight-like.” For instance, Team Cherry’s 2017 releasehas directly inspiredindie games likeHaiku the Robot, while titles such asDead CellsandEnder Lilies: Quietus of the Knightsalso show evident influences from it.
Silksong Doesn’t Need to Reinvent the Wheel to Be Great
While some players admit that playing Metroidvania games afterHollow Knightoften leads to comparisons,Hollow Knight: Silksongshouldn’t have to compete with the unfair expectations set by its predecessor. After all, some believeSilksonghas become a victim ofHollow Knight’s success, with fan expectations at an all-time high despite the few and far-between updates from Team Cherry. With the game having been in development for over six years, it may be challenging for the sequel to meet or surpass the community’s expectations, given the considerable hype surrounding it.
Of course, with new tools, collectible items, a new protagonist, boss fights, and quest boards,Hollow Knight: Silksongis set to be a deeply engaging experience, but it shouldn’t have to be groundbreaking to be well-received. At the same time, the title will likely serve as a new touchstone for both Metroidvanias and Team Cherry as a studio. And if the 2025 release doesn’t completely reinvent the genre or push boundaries to the extreme, that should be alright with fans.
