Hollow Knight: Silksong Debuts to Massive Steam Player Count

Team Cherry's long-awaited Metroidvania sequel Hollow Knight: Silksong became a smash hit on Steam only minutes after its release on September 4, pulling in over 100,000 players immediately after launch. One of the most highly anticipated indie titles in recent memory, fans have been waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong since its official announcement in early 2019, and the fated day has finally arrived to incredible fanfare.

Silksong Release Date Hornet Looking Upward

While rumors of the game's impending launch have persisted throughout 2025, Hollow Knight: Silksong's release date was officially confirmed on August 21, with fans stunned to discover that the title was only weeks away from being playable. In the nearly seven years since the game's announcement, the developers remained largely silent, and many an event came and went without any sign of the Hollow Knight sequel. It's no surprise that the title's release day has, so far, been a time of celebration, with player counts quickly surging to incredible numbers on Steam, and likely on other platforms as well.

Hollow Knight: Silksong’s ‘Development Heaven’ is an Important Lesson

Hollow Knight: Silksong's development may have been extensive, but its outcome reveals a glaring misconception regarding 'development hell.'

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By Jared Stewart

Hollow Knight: Silksong Reaches Over 100,000 Concurrent Steam Players Only Minutes After Release

Only minutes after Hollow Knight: Silksong's release, the title surpassed 100,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, with that number reaching nearly 112,000 at the time of this writing. This incredible milestone came despite Steam suffering errors immediately after Silksong's 10 AM ET launch, with servers likely unable to keep up with player demand. For reference, the original Hollow Knight's all-time concurrent player count peak comes in at nearly 73,000, a record set only yesterday. Feedback on Team Cherry's title remains to be seen, as the developer did not send out any early Hollow Knight: Silksong codes for review.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Debuts to Massive Steam Player Count

Over the years, many in the community have suspected that the title was going through development hell, due to the lack of transparency with the studio and the lengthy wait between the original game and the sequel. However, this was recently proven false, as Team Cherry confirmed Silksong's smooth development process, explaining that the small group of developers was simply taking their time with the project and enjoying the journey. Fans now joke that the lengthy wait was due to the game being in "development heaven."

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While September 4 has been a happy day for fans of the series, the release of Silksong has led to several game delays. Notably, the humorous indie title Baby Steps will now launch on September 23, with the game's developer joking that the main character, Nate, is "allergic to hornets." Other titles now scheduled to release later in the year include Faeland, Little Witch in the Woods, Demonschool, and CloverPit.