When Team Cherry finally set September 4, 2025 as the release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong, cheers rippled through the Metroidvania community. Yet behind the fanfare, a different story is unfolding: smaller studios are scrambling to dodge the tidal wave of Silksong hype, pushing back their own launch dates just to stay visible.
Indie Studios Hit Pause
It’s almost poetic how one highly anticipated title can send ripples across the entire industry. At least three indie teams have openly admitted they’d rather risk delaying than have their games swallowed whole by Silksong’s marketing juggernaut:
- Faeland had penciled in a v1.0 release for September 9. In a Steam announcement, the developer sighed that it was a “tough call to postpone,” but necessary with Silksong looming so large.
- Aeternum Game Studios took to X (formerly Twitter) to share that Aeterna Lucis wouldn’t get the visibility it deserves if it clashed with Silksong’s debut, so they’re stepping back the launch.
- Panik Arcade moved CloverPit to September 26, acknowledging Silksong is “the most anticipated and wishlisted game on all of Steam”—even they admit they’ll be playing it at launch.
Some might see this as defeatist, but honestly, I can’t blame them. When your potential spotlight gets eclipsed by a seven-year-in-the-making sequel, better to wait for a clearer sky.
Records Shattered, Sales Explode
Meanwhile, the original Hollow Knight surged to new heights. SteamDB logged 23,840 concurrent players on August 22—800 more than its previous record during the Steam Deck craze of mid-2022. And right before Silksong even drops, the series has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Talk about momentum.
It leaves you wondering: have we ever seen that kind of fan energy for an indie duo? The closest parallel might be the GTA VI frenzy, which allegedly prompted rumors about delaying one of the biggest looter-shooter franchises to avoid being overshadowed by Rockstar’s next blockbuster. But those whispers were unverified. Here, we actually see studios safe-harboring their own launches in real time.
Balancing hype and timing is an art form. Delay too long and risk losing buzz; launch too close and vanish into someone else’s spotlight. It’s a tightrope walk, and who could envy the view?
Silksong’s arrival is going to redefine what it means to build anticipation. Indie devs will learn from this—either by steering clear of hot release windows or by joining forces to share audiences rather than compete.
So, what do you think? Is delaying a smart survival tactic, or is this hype culture getting out of hand? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more insider updates—let’s keep the conversation going.
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Sources:
- www.teamcherry.com.au/blog/11xf7azcuebhybgossfhdc0mphiqbs-en88t-53h3w
- www.techpowerup.com/340230/hollow-knight-silksong-launch-hype-results-in-game-delays
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