It’s now been 6 years since the release ofHollow Knightas well as a little over 4 years since the initial announcement ofHollow Knight: Silksong. Since the game’s early reveals as an expansion toHollow Knightit has developed into a full-fledged sequel and taken on a mythic quality befitting some of the Metroidvania genre’s most notable series. With several indie developers stepping in to fill theHollow Knight: Silksong-shaped void with a slew of quality Metroidvania releases, as well as an absolutely jam-packed second half of 2023, it may be time for Team Cherry to attempt something drastic with the game’s release.
Fans have become increasingly discouraged as the release window forSilksonghas slipped out of reach each year. Between jokes about whether the game exists and theHollow Knight: Silksong’s website expiring, it’s safe to say that the game won’t be released in 2023 as expected. That is, unless Team Cherry has an ace up its sleeve and is planning a surprise update regarding the game coupled with a shadow drop. Turning the tables on the traditional marketing cycle for a game’s pre-release could work wonders for the game’s launch success as well as cash in on the goodwill of fans who have patiently awaited a sequel to one of the best Metroidvania ever made.
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Hype for Hollow Knight: Silksong Makes a Long Marketing Cycle Redundant
Few games outside firmly established staple series likeFinal FantasyorThe Legend of Zeldaare able to capture players' attention for a sequel and hold it for as long asHollow Knight: Silksonghas been in gestation. The fact thatSilksong’s long developmentis taking over 5 years and is still as anticipated as it is should strike a chord with Team Cherry regarding the game’s eventual release. Not only have the developers created a series that fans are truly passionate about, but those same fans are also fervently following every bit of news regarding the game and its piecemeal updates. The anticipation forSilksongmakes the traditional marketing and “hype-building” strategy unnecessary.
A possible shadow drop of the game or havingHollow Knight: SilksonguseFF16’s marketing strategymight benefit the game more than the announcement of a release date months before the game is eventually in players' hands. The originalHollow Knightis widely regarded as an S-tier Metroidvania on par with the best of the genre, and fans have arguably been awaiting a sequel since beforeSilksongwas even announced. Team Cherry has no need to arbitrarily extend the waiting period for the game any longer than it has already to generate excitement for the title that already exists.
A Hollow Knight: Silksong Shadow Drop Could Cut Through the Noise in 2023
One of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic felt in the gaming industry is the impact it has had on game development schedules as teams needed to work remotely, slowing progress or outright suspending it. As a result, games that had originally planned on a 2021 release or later are often missing intended release windows and receiving calculated delays. 2023 is one of the most packed game release years in recent history as a result of many Covid-related delays, and, for example,June 2023 is packed with game releases, often just a few weeks or days apart.
In order forHollow Knight: Silksongto hit a release date in 2023 or 2024, it needs a surprise release with little downtime between a reveal of the date and being in players' hands. Considering the aforementioned hype for the release, a surprise shadow drop could grab the attention of everyone awaiting the game at once and helpSilksongsee similar levels of success as an indie title as some of the AAA releases on fans' radars for the rest of the year. Whether it releases this year or next,Hollow Knight: Silksongshould capitalize on its dedicated fanbase.
Hollow Knight: Silksongis in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Hollow Knight: Silksong May Be Banking on the Same Strategy as Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
