The launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong brought the gaming world in a state of shock on day one, with excessive demand causing multiple large digital storefronts to temporarily go down. Digital platforms like Steam, Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live all experienced temporary shutdowns as millions of gamers scrambled to download the much-awaited sequel.
Unlike most other blockbusters, Silksong did not have pre-orders, instead having fans rush to online retailers at the same moment. This concurrent demand was more than the servers could manage. On Steam, some users reported that the game's page had vanished for a while, while others were met with the infamous "Error E502 L3."
Hollow Knight: Silksong is the sequel to Team Cherry's 2017 indie game Hollow Knight, a game that was broadly acclaimed for its atmospheric world and punishing gameplay. The sequel was in development since 2019, and hype continued to build over the years, with the game being one of the most wish listed games on Steam reaching as high as nearly 5 million wishlists before launch.
The game revolves around the protagonist Hornet, a character from the first game, who is kidnapped and brought to the enigmatic kingdom of Pharloom. The player accompanies her across varied biomes like Moss Grotto, Deep Docks, Greymoor, and the Citadel Marrow, as she encounters new foes, discovers previously unknown secrets, and ascends towards a shining citadel.
In its official description, it explains that the game embarks Hornet on a "deadly pilgrimage" with puzzles, companions, and mysteries. The game assures a richer story and amplified mechanics but maintains the eerie allure of the original.
Priced at $19.99 in the US, €19.99 in Europe, and ¥2300 in Japan, Silksong is available on major platforms such as Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Gaming communities on Reddit and X responded to its release with frustration and surprise. "An indie single-player, 20-buck game is so popular it crashed EVERY SINGLE GAME STORE," one fan posted. Others slammed the fact that there had been no pre-orders, terming it "crazy" for a game that had been at the top of Steam's wishlist charts for years.
Another player encapsulated the mania: "Hollow Knight was just that good. After seven years of anticipation, the sequel was guaranteed to shatter everything."
