Hollow Knight Silksong release date speculation, gameplay and trailers

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 four years have 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 speculation

There is currently no official release date for Hollow Knight Silksong, and we now have confirmation that it will not release in the first half of 2023.

This update comes to us from developer studio Team Cherry’s Matthew Griffin on Twitter, who was quick to reassure fans that development is ongoing, but that Silksong has ‘gotten quite big’ and needs more time. Unfortunately, Griffin provided no new release window or indication that we might still expect it to release in 2023.

Hollow Knight Silksong was first announced in February 2019, about two years after its predecessor came out. It was originally intended as Hollow Knight DLC, but quickly became a standalone sequel. A few months after the announcement, Team Cherry said they wouldn’t name a release date until they were certain that 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 was later reaffirmed by Xbox to fans on Twitter. However, it seems we’ll be waiting to get our hands on it for some time yet.

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 shines a spotlight on the game’s protagonist, Hornet, as she escapes from captivity. While demonstrating Hornet’s agile needle-wielding skills, the trailer reveals a variety of colourful scenes, all set in a brand-new kingdom. This mysterious underground realm is absolutely brimming with bug life, featuring quaint towns with adorable NPC’s 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 in order to escape.

There’s an enormous amount of new 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 a large variety of 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 ahead.

As explained in another developer blog, the process of 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 biggest change in this Hollow Knight sequel is that the protagonist has a voice. That’s right, no more silent hero in Hollow Knight Silksong. 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 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.