Hollow Knight: Silksong—Everything we know about the upcoming sequel

Hollow Knight: Silksong — character art of Hornet, Silksong's protagonist, brandishing her weapon
(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Years might pass, but time is frozen for Hollow Knight: Silksong fans. There has only ever been this moment, stretched across eternity. Until our return to punishing, side-scrolling, bug-based action, the clock stands still. While we haven't heard any Silksong news since E3 2022, we were promised that Silksong would arrive within a year. We'll be unfixed in time soon, right? Right?

Originally a DLC project, Silksong became a full sequel with a new protagonist, playstyle, and setting. We'll be taking on new enemies in a vertical odyssey into the kingdom of Pharloom. Playing as the new Hollow Knight heroine Hornet with a host of new mechanics and abilities, we'll have a view into her dreary, insectile landscape. And yes, the fanbase remains desperate for news, rumors, omens, auguries, etc.

While Team Cherry's kept things tight under wraps, here's everything we know about Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Silksong release date

Hollow Knight: Silksong doesn't currently have a release date, but it has a release window. When it appeared at the Xbox & Bethesda showcase in June 2022, Xbox made a point of saying it was focused on games coming within the next 12 months.  Which, at the time of this writing, means we've got 3 months and change, provided there aren't any further revisions of the release schedule.

In case that wasn't proof enough, here's Xbox confirming that it meant what it said. That means the game is hopefully going to come out by the start of summer 2023, and it'll be available on Xbox Game Pass.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong trailers and gameplay videos

Here's Silksong's latest gameplay trailer from June 2022

Hold on, hold on, it isn't a release date but it is a pretty stacked new trailer. There's quite a lot of intense combat here, some boss fights, and a lava escape section. All totally good for your little bug's blood pressure. The trailer also confirms that Silksong will be coming to Xbox Game Pass on launch day—whenever that happens to be.

Check out Hollow Knight: Silksong's debut trailer

The debut trailer for Hollow Knight: Silksong (opens in new tab) still sells it best. It opens on Hornet and immediately bursts into action. It's both familiar and new as you see Hornet dash toward enemies and thwack them apart. There's even what looks like a grappling hook tool too.

At the edges of the screen you can see pathways that lead to other areas and ledges that climb further up into the kingdom. It's a barrage of new enemies and bosses to fight. One boss battle looks like it takes place on a bed of flowers with the sun shining down, which could be a bit of a nod to the final fight in Sekiro and Bloodborne.

There are also a slew of new characters to meet, all with their own little vocal traits that have become somewhat iconic for Hollow Knight NPCs. They'll all be scattered in the world and in the new towns you can visit to resupply and rest as you explore Pharloom.

If you want to see full-on gameplay, you can check out the Nintendo video that features 20 minutes of Hollow Knight: Silksong (opens in new tab). It covers everything from the intro to the first boss, and you can get a good look at some of the new abilities that Hornet has.

Hollow Knight: Silksong gameplay changes

What's different about Hollow Knight: Silksong's gameplay?

Like Hollow Knight, Silksong is a side-scrolling action game, with some easy Dark Souls comparisons in punishing bosses, encounters, and death mechanics. You'll face over 150 different types of enemies and many bosses as you explore Metroidvania-style across a large map.

Silksong revamps Hollow Knight's formula with a suite of new mechanics and changes:

  • You play as Hornet instead of The Knight from Hollow Knight. Hornet has a lot more movement abilities like dashing and sprinting, and she can heal faster than The Knight. And she talks!
  • Hornet uses silk instead of Souls to heal and use abilities. When you die, you'll drop a bundle of silk and have to destroy it when you return to replenish your supply.
  • Hornet uses tools, like bombs and a spiked ball, instead of charms. You can craft tools too.
  • The game follows Hornet as she ascends through a new region: the kingdom of Pharloom.
  • Silksong introduces two new currencies: Shell Shards and Rosaries. Shell Shards are used to repair and craft tools. Rosaries are used to buy goods. Both are earned from caches and killing enemies, although Rosaries can be lost on death unless you put them on a string.
  • Silksong will have a quest system divided into four categories: Gather, Wayfarer, Hunt, and Grand Hunt. You can pick quests up from NPCs and track their progress via notice boards.

Hollow Knight: Silksong's soundtrack brings back the original composer 

Christopher Larkin will return as a composer for Hollow Knight: Silksong after working on the original game. Larkin released a couple previews of the game's soundtrack, which are filled with triumphant strings and gloomy piano—a perfect fit for the game's atmosphere. 

Associate Editor

Tyler has covered games, games culture, and hardware for over a decade before joining PC Gamer as Associate Editor. He's done in-depth reporting on communities and games as well as criticism for sites like Polygon, Wired, and Waypoint. He's interested in the weird and the fascinating when it comes to games, spending time probing for stories and talking to the people involved. Tyler loves sinking into games like Final Fantasy 14, Overwatch, and Dark Souls to see what makes them tick and pluck out the parts worth talking about. His goal is to talk about games the way they are: broken, beautiful, and bizarre.