Hollow Knight: Silksong Hits 100k Players

The global release of Hollow Knight: Silksong on Friday led to widespread outages across several major online gaming platforms. Steam, Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store and Microsoft Store all experienced disruptions as demand for the highly anticipated sequel exceeded server capacity. Players reported being unable to purchase or download the game for several hours following its launch.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Hits 100k Players

Widespread Technical Issues

Shortly after the game went live, the troubleshooting website Downdetector recorded a sharp increase in problem reports, peaking at more than 3,700 user submissions. Many players attempting to purchase the game encountered error codes, while others found checkout systems unresponsive. The issues persisted for nearly three hours before platforms gradually recovered.

On social media, players shared screenshots of failed transactions and expressed frustration at the absence of a preorder option, which some argued could have reduced launch-day strain. Humble Bundle, another digital distributor, briefly displayed a notice stating that Silksong was unavailable due to high traffic before restoring access later in the day. Despite these difficulties, Steam reported more than 100,000 active players within the first 30 minutes, indicating that many fans managed to secure their copies despite the bottlenecks.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Hits 100k Players

Sequel from a Small Adelaide Team

The game was developed by Team Cherry, a three-person studio based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded by Ari Gibson, William Pellen and Jack Vine, with music composed by Christopher Larkin, the studio achieved international recognition following the success of Hollow Knight in 2017. That game, which combined hand-drawn animation with Metroidvania-inspired design, went on to sell more than 15 million copies worldwide.

The original Hollow Knight earned critical praise for its intricate environments, challenging combat and distinctive art direction. The New York Times described it as “a modern Metroidvania classic,” noting its attention to detail and the depth of its game world. Much of its popularity spread through word of mouth, helping the title build a dedicated global community.

Anticipation and Industry Response

Anticipation for Silksong has been building since its announcement, with the game shifting its narrative focus to Hornet, a sword-wielding character who appeared as a supporting figure in the original title. Demand was such that several other studios delayed their own launches to avoid competing directly. According to reporting from the New York Times, at least seven games postponed release dates in the weeks leading up to Silksong, including Baby Steps and Demonschool.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Hits 100k Players

Lengthy Development Cycle

The development process for Silksong spanned seven years. In an interview with Bloomberg, Gibson explained that the extended timeline reflected the team’s deliberate approach. He stated that as a small studio, Team Cherry took the necessary time to create the game they envisioned, with no external controversy influencing the delay.

In an earlier interview with the ABC, Pellen explained that part of the enduring success of the first Hollow Knight stemmed from its design philosophy. Drawing on inspiration from older game styles while avoiding outdated presentation, the team was able to deliver an experience that felt both familiar and new. He expressed hope that Silksong would achieve a similar balance.

Recognition in South Australia

The South Australian Film Corporation marked the launch by celebrating Team Cherry’s achievement on LinkedIn. The organization described the studio as an example of the creative talent emerging from Adelaide and highlighted the global impact of the release.

While the technical disruptions demonstrated the intensity of demand, early player numbers suggest that Hollow Knight: Silksong has already established itself as one of the most significant independent game launches in recent years.