Hollow Knight breaks Steam record after Silksong announcement

When Hollow Knight launched in 2017, few imagined that, years later, it would still be a cultural phenomenon. But the recent announcement of Silksong , Team Cherry's long-awaited sequel, has changed that: the community has returned en masse to Hallownest, achieving a new record number of players on Steam.

According to SteamDB , following the trailer that confirmed Silksong's release date (September 4), Hollow Knight reached a peak of 23,840 concurrent users , surpassing its all-time high.

Silksong's story is unique. Originally conceived as a DLC, the project grew so much that Team Cherry decided to turn it into a full game. Since 2019, the developers' silence fueled the hype: every gaming event was filled with requests for its release.

That mystery turned into global expectation, and now, with the date confirmed, the Australian metroidvania fever is once again on the rise.

The return of players to Hollow Knight isn't just a statistic: it reflects the strength of its art design , its dark narrative, and its challenging gameplay. Longtime fans are rediscovering the map's secrets, while new players are joining, drawn by the impending arrival of Hornet.

The synergy between the two titles demonstrates how a well-executed announcement can revitalize a cult game and put it back in the industry conversation.

In parallel to the enthusiasm, Team Cherry confirmed a measure that divides opinions: it will not send out copies of Silksong for pre-screening . The studio believes it's unfair that critics have access before Kickstarter backers and the general public.

This decision, although unusual in the industry, reinforces the narrative of closeness to the community, prioritizing the fans who supported the project from the beginning.

Hollow Knight is an example of how video games can maintain their relevance thanks to the passion of the community. More than eight years later, it continues to attract players thanks to:

• Its cult indie game status.
• The expectation for its sequel.
• The constant diffusion on social networks, forums and Twitch.

The Silksong announcement not only brought hype, but also a historic surge in the original metroidvania, which is once again trending worldwide.