The “Silksanity” is over, folks: Team Cherry took the Gamescom 2025 stage two days after the Opening Night Live to finally announce Hollow Knight Silksong’ release date: after much speculation, delays and lack of news, it’s finally coming out September 4th, 2025.
It’s been over half a decade, mind you, but the long-awaited sequel to 2017’s indie hit Hollow Knight is now officially on the horizon, and it looks ready to deliver a fresh take on the Metroidvania formula while staying true to the soul of its predecessor.
Here’s a breakdown of everything we know so far — from Hollow Knight Silksong’s release date, to details on its story, gameplay, and platforms.
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Everything we know about Hollow Knight Silksong
Hollow Knight Silksong release date is finally confirmed!
IT’S COMING SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2025! Look, I even put it in bold, all caps writing. Sorry, I’m excitable like that.
Anyway: the context of the announcement is simple: indie development studio Team Cherry took on a special broadcast—a rather short one, I might add.
Now, what’s even funnier is the fact that Team Cherry actually stated the project never was “stuck”, but it expanded so much in scope it simply needed proper development.
Well, truth be told, that tracks: according to their own website, despite being a world-famous studio, Team Cherry is still an indie company operated by three guys: Ari Gibson (Co-director), William Pellen (Co-director) and Jack Vine (Coder). Granted, that is a far cry from, say, GTA 6’s 6,000+ strong, internationally distributed dev team.
The scope part also makes sense: originally, Silksong was originally conceived as a DLC expansion for its predecessor from 2017. The story and ideas just took over so much it became a standalone, full-on sequel project.
But come on… Not even a little stuck? I’m skeptical.
Hollow Knight Silksong story brings a new lead and a new kingdom to explore
Unlike the original game, where players controlled the silent, titular Hollow Knight, Silksong shifts the perspective to Hornet, a familiar character from the first title. This time, she’s been captured and taken to a whole new kingdom far from Hallownest called “Pharloom.”
The story follows her journey as she climbs to the citadel at the kingdom’s peak, battling enemies, uncovering secrets, and piecing together the mystery of her capture.
Evidently, Team Cherry is not letting on too much, so the excitement doesn’t die out while we wait for the game to come out. We can expect the same mix of cryptic lore, environmental storytelling.
However, in an interview with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Team Cherry did say they had to “force” themselves to stop, launch the game and avoid a new delay. They committed to releasing post-game content, too.
Hollow Knight Silksong Gameplay
Being originally though as DLC for the first game, one could imagine that Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay would drink from the same fountain and change little, in order to keep things streamlined.
Well, one would be wrong.
According to Team Cherry and the demo version showcased at Gamescom 2025, Hornet brings some unique abilities that make her play a very different game than the Knight himself. These include:
- Faster, more agile combat: Hornet’s acrobatics make her quicker and more fluid compared to the Knight, with expanded movement options.
- New tools and weapons: Craftable items and additional combat mechanics will add more depth to exploration and fighting.
- Over 150 new enemies: Each with unique designs and attack patterns, promising fresh challenges.
- Quests and NPCs: Expanded side content, new towns, and quest systems will give the world a more dynamic feel.
- Platforming focus: Hornet’s speed and climbing mechanics shift the emphasis toward vertical exploration and fast-paced traversal.
Silksong Platforms
As per Team Cherry’s announced, Hollow Knight: Silksong will be available on a bunch of platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Furthermore, the game will also be available day one on Xbox Game Pass, making it accessible to an even wider audience; and the recently announced ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X.
(Can you imagine if, after all of this, Silksong cut off last gen platforms? Oooh the horror!)
People Also Ask
Is Hollow Knight Silksong a sequel or a spin-off?
Silksong is a direct sequel to Hollow Knight. It began as a planned DLC but quickly expanded into a full standalone game.
Who is the main character in Hollow Knight Silksong?
Players control Hornet, a recurring character from the first game, known for her speed, agility, and needle weapon.
How is Hollow Knight Silksong different from the original?
Silksong emphasizes faster gameplay, vertical exploration, and crafting mechanics, while introducing an entirely new kingdom to explore.
Will Hollow Knight Silksong be on Game Pass?
Yes. Silksong will be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch, across both console and PC.
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This is another entry on a series of articles PRG is doing, detailing Gamescom’s featured games as much as we can. Make sure to check out our other stories to stay in the loop!
