Hollow Knight Silksong release date estimate, gameplay and latest news

When is the Hollow Knight Silksong release date? Silksong is the long-awaited sequel to 2017's immensely popular Hollow Knight. We don't use the phrase 'long-awaited' lightly either, since over half a decade has passed since its announcement.

Just like its predecessor, Hollow Knight Silksong is a 2D Metroidvania game set in an underground realm inhabited by bugs. You can expect to explore gloomy grottos and ancient citadels in classic platform game style, fight off their quarrelsome occupants, and unlock powerful skills and equipment. Here's everything we know about when to expect Hollow Knight Silksong, including gameplay and trailers.

The Hollow Knight Silksong release date is in 2025. This was confirmed in the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement livestream. A playable demo is available for a select audience in September 2025.

Hollow Knight Silksong is due to launch on PC via Steam, as well as the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

After numerous delays and assurances that Team Cherry is still "hard at work," the Silksong launch window was finally revealed in a sizzle reel during the Nintendo Switch 2's official announcement. This gameplay clip included confirmation of its release year.

The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) has confirmed that Silksong will be playable at its Game Worlds exhibition from Thursday, September 18, 2025, following its inclusion in the exhibit's  announcement trailer. While Team Cherry is yet to narrow down the Silksong release date, this could suggest that Silksong will launch in August, before the ACMI exhibition begins.

Hollow Knight Silksong news

Hollow Knight Silksong was first announced in February 2019, roughly two years after its predecessor. Initially intended to be Hollow Knight DLC, it quickly became a standalone sequel. A few months after the announcement, Team Cherry said it wouldn't name a release date until it was sure the game was up to par with the original Hollow Knight.

After three awfully quiet years, it appeared that the time had finally come in June 2022. As part of the Xbox and Bethesda Games showcase, the developer promised a release within 12 months, a promise that Xbox later reaffirmed to fans on Twitter. Silksong was then slated to release in the first half of 2023, but an update from developer studio Team Cherry's Matthew Griffin on Twitter/X confirmed it was no longer the case.

Griffin quickly reassured fans that development is ongoing but that Silksong has "gotten quite big" and needed more time. On April 1, 2024, Griffin posted again on Twitter/X that the Microsoft Store page is now live. This was initially taken as a prank, but Xbox product marketing manager Tai Sila also posted that it "isn't an April Fools joke. The [Hollow Knight Silksong] Wishlist page really is up on Xbox".

This wouldn't be significant on its own, but it has an ESRB rating of 10+. These ratings generally appear once the game enters the final stages of development. In addition, the Silksong Australia rating from the country's government classification board published its rating of the game as PG (Parental Guidance) for "mild violence".

The Microsoft app store listing also garnered some attention after eagle-eyed fans spotted it includes an optimistic Hollow Knight Silksong release date: December 30, 9998. While this is an obvious placeholder date (we don't really expect it to arrive in 7,974 years), it certainly feels like we could be waiting that long.

As Summer Game Fest 2024 failed to cough up the goods, players quickly turned to August's Gamescom Opening Night Live event for a sliver of hope. However, this was quickly dashed by a swift chop from host Geoff Keighley who stated at the time that "Team Cherry is still cooking" – curses.

The Switch 2's sizzle reel was preceded by a Hollow Knight Silksong Steam page update which gave fans some hope of a 2025 release. A Silksong Xbox tease from ID@Xbox director Guy Richards also added fuel to the fire of the upcoming release, placing Silksong in a line-up of titles confirmed for this year.

In early June 2025, Silksong had a major Steam DB update. This saw package files and depots tweaked, including adding language settings for achievements and lifting age restrictions on the game's trailers. This sparked conjecture regarding a potential Summer Game Fest shadowdrop.

Is Hollow Knight Silksong on Game Pass?

People of Hallownest rejoice: Hollow Knight Silksong is coming to Xbox Game Pass. What's more, the indie game will be available to download on day one, meaning Game Pass subscribers will have access to it at launch.

Hollow Knight Silksong trailers

The Hollow Knight Silksong Steam page has had its trailer removed in a mysterious new update. Given the recent confirmation of Silksong's release window, this could suggest a full release date trailer is on its way.

Hollow Knight Silksong's announcement trailer spotlights the game's protagonist, Hornet, as she escapes from captivity. While demonstrating Hornet's agile needle-wielding skills, the trailer reveals various colorful scenes, all set in a brand-new kingdom. This mysterious underground realm is brimming with bug life, featuring quaint towns with adorable NPCs, as well as dark corners inhabited by deadly foes.

The Game Pass reveal trailer is a bit shorter but shows even more gameplay mechanics and enemy types, with a set piece featuring rising lava that looks pretty heated.

Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay

As shown by the Hollow Knight Silksong trailers, we'll be playing as Hornet instead of the Knight this time. Fans of the series will recognize Hornet as the princess-protector of Hallownest, one of the main characters in the original Hollow Knight game. The official website confirms that Hornet has been taken captive in an unfamiliar kingdom in Hollow Knight Silksong, and she must fight her way to the surface to escape.

There are an enormous number of foes in Hollow Knight Silksong, featuring over 150 new enemies, many of them powerful bosses. Not a problem for our brave hero, who may rely on her trusty needle weapon, acrobatic combat moves, and the occasional respawn. We've also been promised many new items and tools, including a 'Pimpillo' bomb.

Just like the first Hollow Knight, Hornet needs to hit her opponents to obtain Soul. She can use this Soul to heal her shells (HP) in a move called Bind. Unlike the Knight's Focus ability, Hornet's Bind is much faster, especially since she can replenish several shells at once. As a downside, Bind uses the full stack of Soul, so it's harder to plan.

As explained in another developer blog, mapping the world is similar to the original Hollow Knight. You'll dive head-first into an unexplored area without any guidance, and as you progress, you gain access to maps and markers. While exploring, Hornet may pick up quests from friendly NPCs or on notice boards.

Perhaps the most significant change in this Hollow Knight sequel is that the protagonist has a voice. That's right; the hero in Hollow Knight: Silksong isn't silent. Get ready for Hornet's snarky remarks as you jump, crawl, and slash your way through the insect kingdom.

Those who hunger for even more Hollow Knight Silksong gameplay should take a look at the Nintendo Treehouse playthrough from E3 2019, which may have teased Hornet's mentor. Unless you'd rather avoid spoilers, the first few fights give a great impression of the Hornet's fighting style and the sort of enemies you might encounter. No, it doesn't reveal all 150+ of them.

In December 2019, the Hollow Knight Silksong score composer, Christopher Larkin, shared the first two soundtrack samples. The tracks, called Lace and Bonebottom, are free to download.

That's everything we know about Hollow Knight Silksong for now. There's no doubt it has some big shoes to fill, as the long wait stokes anticipation for what might be one of the best PC games of all time. However, it looks like we'll have to be patient for a while longer – but given we're in a Metroidvania renaissance, it's not the end of the world.