Hollow Knight Silksong Release Date Official: Sept 4, 2026
When is Hollow Knight: Silksong releasing? After more than six years of waiting, Team Cherry has officially confirmed that Hollow Knight: Silksong will launch on September 4, 2025, across PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
As someone who’s been following this game since its initial announcement in 2019, I can finally exhale. The wait is over, the clown makeup can come off, and we have a concrete date to mark on our calendars. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything about this monumental announcement and what it means for the gaming community that’s been patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) waiting.
| Platform | Release Date | Special Features |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam/Epic) | September 4, 2025 | Full mod support expected |
| Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 | September 4, 2025 | Portable gameplay |
| Xbox Series X/S | September 4, 2025 | Day One Game Pass |
| PlayStation 4/5 | September 4, 2025 | DualSense haptic feedback |
The Long-Awaited Announcement That Broke the Internet
I was watching the livestream on August 21, 2025, when Team Cherry dropped the nearly two-minute trailer that sent shockwaves through the gaming community. After years of silence punctuated only by occasional screenshots, seeing Hornet in action again felt surreal. The trailer showcased her acrobatic moveset, the haunting kingdom of Pharloom, and glimpses of the 40+ bosses we’ll face.
What struck me most was how polished everything looked. The six-year development cycle clearly wasn’t wasted – every frame of the trailer oozed the hand-crafted attention to detail that made the original Hollow Knight special. Having spent over 100 hours in Hallownest myself, I immediately recognized Team Cherry’s signature art style evolved to new heights.
The announcement timing was perfect. With Gamescom 2025 gaming event happening simultaneously, the gaming world’s attention was already focused on major reveals. But Silksong’s announcement managed to overshadow almost everything else, trending worldwide within minutes.
What We Know About Gameplay and Features?
From my analysis of the trailer and Team Cherry’s official statements, Silksong represents a massive evolution from the original. Playing as Hornet fundamentally changes the gameplay dynamic – she’s faster, more agile, and relies on silk-based abilities rather than the Knight’s nail combat.
The scope is staggering: over 200 new enemies and 40+ bosses across the vast kingdom of Pharloom. To put that in perspective, the original Hollow Knight had around 47 bosses total including all DLC. This isn’t just a sequel; it’s potentially twice the size of the original game.
I’m particularly excited about the crafting system they’ve teased. Unlike the charm system from the original, Hornet will use tools that can be crafted and customized. This adds a layer of strategy that wasn’t present in Silksong’s lore implications we’ve discussed before.
The Six-Year Development Journey
Having followed this game’s development since day one, the journey has been remarkable. What started as planned DLC for the original Hollow Knight evolved into something much bigger. I remember the 2019 announcement when we thought it would release “soon.” Little did we know we’d be waiting until 2025.
The development timeline tells an interesting story. Team Cherry, still just a three-person studio from Adelaide, Australia, refused to compromise their vision despite mounting pressure. In a recent Bloomberg interview, they explained how the game kept growing in scope as they worked on it. This philosophy of games that reward patience and mastery extends to their development approach.
The community’s patience has been tested, spawning countless memes about “clowning” – putting on metaphorical clown makeup every time we expected news that didn’t come. But that patience appears to have paid off with what looks to be one of the most ambitious indie games ever created.
Platform Availability and What It Means for Players
The simultaneous multi-platform release on September 4, 2025, is a massive win for gamers everywhere. I’m particularly excited about the Xbox Game Pass inclusion from day one – this means millions of subscribers can dive into Pharloom without additional cost.
The confirmation of a Nintendo Switch 2 version is equally significant. While we’re still waiting for Nintendo to officially reveal their next console, Silksong’s confirmation essentially confirms the Switch 2 will be available by September 2025. For portable gaming enthusiasts like myself, playing this game with distinctive art styles on the go will be incredible.
PlayStation players aren’t left out either, with both PS4 and PS5 versions confirmed. The PS5’s DualSense haptic feedback could add another dimension to Hornet’s silk-slinging gameplay.
Community Reaction and Industry Impact
The community reaction has been nothing short of explosive. Within hours of the announcement, social media was flooded with celebration posts, fan art, and yes, people ceremoniously removing their clown makeup. The nearly 5 million Steam wishlists speak to the unprecedented anticipation for an indie game.
What’s fascinating is how other indie developers are already adjusting their release schedules to avoid the “Silksong window.” This level of influence from an indie title is rare, showing how Metroidvania genre mastery can rival AAA releases in terms of mindshare.
The original Hollow Knight has sold over 15 million copies to date, making it one of the best-selling indie games ever. With the sequel’s expanded scope and day-one Game Pass availability, Silksong could easily surpass those numbers.
What This Means for the Future of Gaming
Silksong’s September 4, 2025 release represents more than just the end of a long wait. It’s validation that taking time to perfect a game, rather than rushing to meet arbitrary deadlines, can build even more anticipation and success.
For those of us who’ve been waiting, mark your calendars and prepare for what could be the defining dark Metroidvania experience of this gaming generation. I’ll be counting down the days until I can finally explore Pharloom and discover what Team Cherry has been crafting all these years.
The wait is almost over. September 4, 2025, can’t come soon enough.