Ask any fan waiting for Hollow Knight: Silksong and they’ll tell you about the long, torturous anticipation for its release. Since its initial announcement, it feels like an eternity has passed without a release date or new gameplay trailer. The small trio at Team Cherry, responsible for this highly-anticipated sequel to 2017’s Hollow Knight, has been incredibly tight-lipped, sparking a lot of frustration and restlessness in the community.
Previously, Hollow Knight enthusiasts were beginning to lose their optimism regarding Team Cherry and Silksong’s eventual release. Some fans were even starting to believe Silksong had fallen into a black hole of development, similar to Ubisoft’s long-dormant Beyond Good & Evil 2. However, morale saw a much-needed boost after the recent Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Nintendo unveiled a brief glimpse of Hollow Knight: Silksong during a montage of upcoming third-party titles, alongside a confirmation that it’s slated for a 2025 release. This announcement electrified the internet and quickly became one of the most discussed topics from the Direct.
## Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Marketing Struggles
The fact that a mere few seconds of gameplay could ignite such excitement underscores how erratic Silksong’s marketing journey has been. Reflecting on the past few years, it’s clear that Team Cherry has been unusually slow in providing updates. Originally, Silksong was unveiled on February 14, 2019, coinciding with Valentine’s Day. Team Cherry released both a trailer and an in-depth developer video on YouTube to kick things off.
2019 saw a flurry of Silksong-related updates. Just over a month post-announcement, Team Cherry dropped additional details in a March 19 blog post. By June, Silksong was featured in a Nintendo Treehouse presentation at E3 2019, one of the last of its kind. Fans were treated to a deep dive, unveiling the opening cutscene and a first boss battle. As the year wound down, Team Cherry shared more on December 13, offering glimpses of new foes and the game’s soundtrack.
## Tracking the Silksong Timeline
Here’s a snapshot of the announcements for Hollow Knight: Silksong and the intervals between them:
| Announcement | Date | Days Since Previous |
|————–|——|———————|
| Game Announcement | Feb 14, 2019 | N/A |
| Update #1 | Mar 19, 2019 | 33 |
| E3 2019 Showcase | Jun 13, 2019 | 86 |
| Update #2 | Dec 13, 2019 | 183 |
| Edge Magazine Reveal | Dec 31, 2020 | 384 |
| Xbox Showcase 2022 | Jun 12, 2022 | 528 |
| PS4/PS5 Confirmation | Sep 16, 2022 | 96 |
| Delay Announcement | May 10, 2023 | 236 |
| Switch 2 Direct Appearance | Apr 2, 2025 | 693 |
Though Team Cherry occasionally assured fans in 2022 and 2025 that Silksong wasn’t scrapped, these were minor updates at best.
## Silksong’s Delayed Release
After a packed 2019, Team Cherry became uncharacteristically quiet. Following a brief mention in Edge Magazine in December 2020, there was little to report until June 2022. At the Xbox Games Showcase, the second Silksong trailer debuted. Team Cherry confirmed not just an Xbox launch but also Game Pass availability on day one, with an initial 2023 launch target that ultimately slipped away.
Leading up to 2023, updates were sparse aside from a September announcement of the PlayStation port. By May 10, Team Cherry reluctantly deferred the release beyond 2023. Details remained scarce until the enthusiastic reception at the recent Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, which pinned down a 2025 release across all platforms. Hopefully, with that timeline, more frequent updates will follow, and fans won’t be left waiting long for news.
