The time to put aside my clown mask has finally arrived with Hollow Knight: Silksong finally making a minuscule appearance in the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 during the Xbox Ally segment.
But the metroidvania’s presence in the event has left me with more fear and worry than anticipation and hype, despite getting an official release window after more than half a decade in development.
While a delay is always great for polish rather than receiving a rushed, unfinished product, it increases player expectations, which could be detrimental to Hollow Knight: Silksong’s success.
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets a 2025 release window, and I couldn’t be more anxious
I have been waiting for this game for an excruciatingly long time, and I’m sure others have been too. After the masterpiece that was Hollow Knight, it’s hard not to be anticipated for the sequel of such a title.
However, I have also seen what player expectations, video game delays, and developers overpromising have done to tarnish the image of a video game, and I fear Hollow Knight: Silksong may share the same fate, albeit being developed intricately.
When a game is delayed, it increases the frustration of players but also raises their expectations in hopes of having a near-perfect product. Yet, they get disappointed with an undercooked title, much like what happened with CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077.
I’m not saying that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be undercooked by any means, but it may fail to meet player expectations, which could potentially hurt its success. Team Cherry created something sensational and special with the first Hollow Knight, which naturally led to expectations for the sequel skyrocketing.
Failing to meet player expectations may not mean the product is bad per se; it could also mean that your expectations were a little too high. Take the example of id Software’s Doom: The Dark Ages. For players who expected the gameplay to be similar or better than Doom Eternal, even though it’s a prequel, the title fell short of those expectations.
But Doom: The Dark Ages isn’t a bad game at all; it’s different from Eternal and has its own strengths, which outweigh the bad by a large margin. Such could be the case with Hollow Knight: Silksong, although I desperately hope it’s not.
It’s the sequel to one of the greatest games of all time, and I want the Hollow Knight: Silksong to exceed all player expectations and recapture the lightning in a bottle that was done by the first game.
I’m cautiously optimistic, and I’ll be first in line at the store when it gets rave reviews. But I’ll also be there to say “I told you so,” if it doesn’t meet extreme expectations set by players. My advice? Keep your expectations in check.
Will Hollow Knight: Silksong actually release this year?
Microsoft has finally dropped the release window for Hollow Knight: Silksong, but not in the way you’d expect. During the ROG Xbox Ally handheld console section at the Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft confirmed that Silksong will arrive at consoles and on Game Pass when the Ally releases “later this year.”
But will the title stick to the window and actually release this year? Hard to say, and it’s more unlikely than not, to be honest. Even if it doesn’t make the release window later this year, it will definitely release early next year to appease the fans.
No additional information other than the release window for Hollow Knight: Silksong was revealed whatsoever, which is kind of worrying. But hopefully, the game doesn’t face any more delays, as it has already been more than half a decade since it was announced.
So, what expectations do you have for Hollow Knight: Silksong? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.
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