Summary
It’s been a long, rough wait forHollow Knight: Silksong, and the end still isn’t in sight.Hollow Knightfans 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: Silksongstill feels no closer to launch.
Hollow Knighthad 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 withHornet asSilksong’s protagonistsounds like a dream come true, and the game should deliver on that when it comes out. Until then, the waiting continues, thoughHollow Knightfans aren’t alone. FromSoftware’s recentElden Ringonce caused a similar wait, and its upcoming DLC is retreading the same path.
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Similarities Between Silksong and Shadow of the Erdtree Are Abundant
The irony thatSoulsfans are waiting forHollow KnightandElden Ringagain is palpable, to the point whereSilksongand the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion practically mirror each other.Silksongbegan its life as a Kickstarter goalfor the originalHollow 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 becomingElden 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 baseElden Ring. That’s enough content to fill aSoulsgame on its own, and considering thatElden Ringis already enormous, fans are willing to stomach another wait.Armored Core 6andindie titles likeBlasphemous 2have helpedSoulsfans weather Shadow of the Erdtree andSilksong’s absence, but that absence is becoming synonymous with both games.
Elden Ring and Hollow Knight Share Histories Full Of Waiting
It may seem like a distant memory now thatElden Ringis out, but its pre-release period was almost as torturous asSilksong’s.Elden Ringhad 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 thatElden Ringwould finally launchin 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.
DespiteElden Ringalready being out, it’s back in the same boat asHollow 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 ifSilksongtrades places withElden Ringand 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.
Hollow Knight: Silksongis currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Why Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Wasn’t at Summer Game Fest
