After years of development and widespread anticipation, Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong has officially launched, with its release on Thursday, September 4, causing significant strain on digital storefronts, including Steam. The indie title, a sequel to the critically acclaimed Hollow Knight, was made available for purchase at 10 AM ET/7 AM PT.
The launch has been met with such immense demand that it has reportedly led to outages and server issues on multiple platforms. Users on Steam, the PlayStation Network (PSN), and the Nintendo eShop have reported difficulties with accessing the storefronts and completing purchases. The simultaneous global release, coupled with the lack of a pre-load option, is believed to have contributed to the unprecedented surge in traffic.
Silksong puts players in the role of Hornet, a protagonist from the original game, as she explores the new kingdom of Pharloom. Early impressions and reviews are highly positive, with critics praising the game’s challenging combat, enhanced agility of the main character, and the continuation of the series’ signature atmospheric art style and musical score. At a price point of $19.99, the game is also available on Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass on its launch day, further increasing its accessibility to a wide audience.