Cryptic Hollow Knight Silksong Steam update could tease a sudden shadow drop

It's at the top of the Steam wishlist chart. It's been in the works for years. Everyone wants to know when it's coming. But so far, all we know for certain is that Hollow Knight Silksong will arrive at some point in 2025. The sequel to Team Cherry's beloved 2017 Metroidvania and 2D soulslike, when it comes to anticipation, Silksong is up there with GTA 6 and the almost mythical Half-Life 3. However, it's possible – maybe, potentially – that after all this time, the game is shadow dropped. We don't get a launch date. Team Cherry just says 'yep, it's out now.' That could be sheer optimism, but a new Hollow Knight Silksong Steam update, alongside some other details, suggests it could be in the stars.

The Hollow Knight Silksong release date is scheduled for 2025, meaning it will arrive some eight years after the original game. Naturally, after almost a decade, expectations are high – sitting at the top of the global wishlist chart, Silksong is officially more in demand than Ark 2, Slay the Spire 2, and Valve's Deadlock. But why would Team Cherry just launch Hollow Knight Silksong out of nowhere? What's the evidence to suggest a shadow drop for the Metroidvania is possible?

First, let's go to Steam DB. In the last 24 hours, various file packages and depots for Silksong's Steam page have been updated. Some of these are obscure. Others are more telling. For example, it appears that language settings have been added for Silksong's in-game achievements and that age restrictions on the game's trailers have been lifted.

The achievements update might suggest that development on the game is reaching the final stages – finalizing language settings for trophy notifications feels like the kind of formality that a developer may leave until close to launch. As for the trailers, to me, that implies that Team Cherry is expecting a lot more people on the Silksong Steam page soon.

But why a shadow drop? The 2025 release window for Silksong was revealed back in April during Nintendo's official showcase for the Switch 2; the game, of course, will be released on the new console. And that new console will be released on Thursday June 5, two days from this writing. Also, on Friday June 6, Summer Game Fest begins. These are both major events, and either one would be the ideal platform for Silksong to finally touch down.

It's conjecture. It's making lines on a corkboard with pins and colored string. But big games have been shadow-dropped before. Fallout Shelter, Apex Legends, and Nintendo's own Metroid Prime Remastered are just some examples. So let's just see.

In the meantime, keep busy with the best soulslikes, or maybe the best platform games on PC.

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