Hollow Knight: Silksong and Elden Ring Shadow of The…

Summary

Hollow Knight: Silksong has faced multiple delays, including the pandemic, high quality standards, and unforeseen issues, leading to a prolonged wait for fans.
Despite the long wait, Hollow Knight fans have high hopes for Silksong, as they anticipate a return to the beloved world and gameplay with Hornet as the protagonist.
Similar to Hollow Knight: Silksong, FromSoftware's Elden Ring also had an extended pre-release period with periods of silence, creating a shared history of waiting for both games. That seems to be continuing with Shadow of the Erdtree, as the DLC still seems far away from its release.

It's been a long, rough wait for Hollow Knight: Silksong, and the end still isn't in sight. Hollow Knight fans everywhere have been hopeful that it will surface with a release date for several years now, with its reveal dating back to February 2019. Unfortunately, a combination of the pandemic, Team Cherry's high quality standards, and other unforeseen delays have put the game into limbo. Even though occasional messages come out from the developers or testers, and there was even a surprise trailer mid-2022, Hollow Knight: Silksong still feels no closer to launch.

Hollow Knight had to leave an impression to hold fans' attention for so long, and even now it's considered one of the best 2D Soulslikes ever made. Seeing its cherished world and gameplay return with Hornet as Silksong's protagonist sounds like a dream come true, and the game should deliver on that when it comes out. Until then, the waiting continues, though Hollow Knight fans aren't alone. FromSoftware's recent Elden Ring once caused a similar wait, and its upcoming DLC is retreading the same path.

Similarities Between Silksong and Shadow of the Erdtree Are Abundant

The irony that Souls fans are waiting for Hollow Knight and Elden Ring again is palpable, to the point where Silksong and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion practically mirror each other. Silksong began its life as a Kickstarter goal for the original Hollow Knight, poised to add the rival Hornet as a playable character. However, as that game's scope grew too large, Hornet's DLC was spun off into its own game instead, which has been given the same exhaustively detailed treatment as its predecessor.

Shadow of the Erdtree won't go as far as becoming Elden Ring 2, but given FromSoftware's DLC track record, it could feel like it. With the extended radio silence since its announcement, fans have reasoned that this expansion will be the length of one or two regions from the base Elden Ring. That's enough content to fill a Souls game on its own, and considering that Elden Ring is already enormous, fans are willing to stomach another wait. Armored Core 6 and indie titles like Blasphemous 2 have helped Souls fans weather Shadow of the Erdtree and Silksong's absence, but that absence is becoming synonymous with both games.

It may seem like a distant memory now that Elden Ring is out, but its pre-release period was almost as torturous as Silksong's. Elden Ring had its own announcement trailer in the summer of 2019, and then went dark for several years. Aside from a leaked trailer, the game didn't return until June 2021, at which point it was revealed that Elden Ring would finally launch in just a few months. Even though it suffered a delay, the network tests and abundant marketing during that time kept the hype alive after years of silence. For whatever reason, FromSoftware has returned to this strategy for Shadow of the Erdtree, announcing it in early 2023 and then going quiet once again.

Despite Elden Ring already being out, it's back in the same boat as Hollow Knight: Silksong. Both titles were willing to reveal themselves long before they were finished, and then wait until the end of development before marketing themselves in earnest. It's fitting that two of gaming's biggest Soulslikes are united in playing hard-to-get with their communities, and the only escalation left at this point is if Silksong trades places with Elden Ring and beats Shadow of the Erdtree to market before it gets dated. Regardless, both titles are worth keeping tabs on, even if their reveal timing could have been adjusted.