Hollow Knight: Silksong

What it is

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a standalone 2D action-adventure developed and published by Team Cherry. The sequel puts Hornet at the center of an exploration-led journey through a different insect kingdom, combining platforming, combat, quests and equipment crafting. It is a separate game rather than an expansion that requires ownership of Hollow Knight.

Silksong released on September 4, 2025, for Windows, Mac, Linux, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. It also joined Xbox Game Pass at launch. Team Cherry revealed the standalone sequel on February 14, 2019, explaining that the original plan for downloadable content starring Hornet had grown beyond the scope of an add-on. The studio's release trailer confirmed the final launch date on August 21, 2025.

Story and setting

Hornet, the princess-protector of Hallownest, is captured and transported to Pharloom, an unfamiliar kingdom shaped by silk and song. Her journey takes her toward the citadel at its summit while she investigates her capture, encounters allies and confronts enemies. The story connects that pilgrimage with mysteries surrounding her lineage and past.

Pharloom is an interconnected world rather than a sequence of isolated stages. Its environments include moss-covered grottos, coral forests, gilded cities, misty moors and lakes of fire. Inhabitants offer requests and clues alongside the threats encountered during exploration, making the kingdom's communities part of Hornet's journey as well as its backdrop.

The presentation uses handcrafted 2D artwork and animation. Christopher Larkin returns as composer, providing an orchestral soundtrack that accompanies exploration and boss encounters. Together, the illustrated environments and music establish the setting without changing the game's side-scrolling perspective.

Gameplay and modes

Hornet fights with her needle, acrobatic movement, silk abilities and crafted tools. The equipment system includes weapons, traps and mechanisms used against enemies and during exploration. Learning new abilities and finding routes through Pharloom sit alongside direct combat, rather than every objective being resolved through a boss fight.

Quests include hunting rare creatures and investigating ancient mysteries for the kingdom's inhabitants. Team Cherry's current feature list confirms more than 200 enemies and more than 40 bosses, including hunters, beasts, knights and fallen rulers. These encounters form part of the wider exploration structure, which also includes platforming challenges, secrets and new powers to discover.

Silksong is a single-player game. Its officially named additional challenge is Steel Soul mode, available after conquering the main adventure. The current store description presents it as a more demanding way to play. Co-op, competitive multiplayer and crossplay are not announced components, so the purchase is for a solo adventure rather than a shared campaign.

Reception

Reviews responded positively to Silksong's exploration, world design and acrobatic combat, while repeatedly identifying its difficulty as an important consideration. GamesRadar+ praised the interconnected setting and expanded movement but also found parts overly punishing. PC Gamer similarly admired Pharloom's construction and the satisfaction of mastering Hornet, while criticizing some repeated journeys back to difficult encounters.

Those assessments make the distinction between quality and accessibility important: favorable reviews do not describe an undemanding adventure. Separately from critical reception, Team Cherry reported on December 15, 2025, that more than seven million copies had been purchased, with millions of additional players accessing the game through Xbox Game Pass.

Post-launch updates and editions

Team Cherry has supported the game with fixes, balance adjustments and localization work. Patch 1 began rolling out on September 11, 2025, addressing progression problems and other bugs while slightly reducing the difficulty of early bosses Moorwing and Sister Splinter. It also adjusted some travel prices and increased several rosary rewards.

Patch 5, version 1.0.30000, reached PC platforms on March 16, 2026. It added Traditional Chinese, substantially revised the German translation and included combat, traversal and enemy-behavior fixes. Team Cherry described it as the intended final significant update before the first major expansion; its announcement initially listed console versions as following later.

That expansion, Sea of Sorrow, was announced on December 15, 2025. It continues Hornet's adventure with a nautical theme and adds areas, bosses and tools. Team Cherry announced it as free for all players with a 2026 release window. As of October 26, 2026, an exact release date has not been announced.

The digital game has a US list price of $19.99. Fangamer has also announced physical Standard Editions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch 2, including a 32-page manual and an illustrated poster. Fangamer lists prices of $39 for the PlayStation and Xbox versions and $45 for Nintendo Switch 2. Its current US listings give November 10, 2026, shipping for PlayStation 5 and Switch 2, and November 27 for Xbox. Sea of Sorrow is not stored on the physical game media and is instead a separate free download.