If you’ve spent the last half-decade staring at a blank screen waiting for a tiny bug with a needle to show up, you can finally breathe. Seriously. The wait is actually over. After years of "clown emoji" memes and enough "Silksong when?" comments to fill a literal ocean, Hollow Knight: Silksong officially came out on September 4, 2025. It feels weird to even type that. For years, Team Cherry’s silence was so absolute it felt like the game might just be a collective fever dream we all shared. But it’s here. It’s real. And if you’re asking "when does Silksong come out" because you’ve been living under a rock (or maybe just trapped in the Deepnest), you’ve actually got a lot of catching up to do.
The Release Date That Broke the Internet
Let's talk about that September 4 launch. It wasn't just a release; it was a seismic event for the indie scene. The game dropped simultaneously on almost every platform you can imagine: PC (Windows, macOS, Linux), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, and Xbox Series X/S. The hype was so intense that it actually caused other developers to run for cover. Studios like the team behind Aeterna Lucis and the Faeland devs openly admitted they pushed their own release dates into 2026 just to avoid being vaporized by the Silksong hype train. When a game makes the rest of the industry reschedule their entire year, you know it's a big deal.
Honestly, the most shocking part wasn't even the date—it was the Xbox Game Pass situation. Microsoft managed to snag it as a Day One release. If you had a subscription on September 4, you just... started playing. No extra twenty bucks required.
What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 "Release"
You might be seeing "2026" floating around and getting confused. If the game is already out, why is everyone still talking about 2026?
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Basically, Team Cherry isn't done.
Just as 2025 was wrapping up, Ari Gibson and the team dropped a holiday blog post that basically confirmed they are still "having too much fun" to stop building this world. They announced the first major free expansion, Sea of Sorrow, which is slated for a 2026 release. Here is what we know about the 2026 roadmap:
- Sea of Sorrow Expansion: A nautical-themed adventure. It’s adding new bosses, tools, and areas like Pharloom’s Bay and the Coral Forest (which long-time fans might remember from early concept sketches).
- Nintendo Switch 2 Edition: With the new hardware hitting the scene, a dedicated "Switch 2" version of both Silksong and the original Hollow Knight is coming in 2026. If you own the original on Switch, the upgrade is supposedly free.
- The Physical Release Rumors: This is where things get messy. You’ve probably seen "leaks" claiming a physical edition drops in early 2026. Truth? Team Cherry hasn't actually confirmed that yet. Most of those reports came from AI-generated content farms that hallucinated a Bloomberg interview. Don't buy into the "March 2026 physical" hype until you see it on the official Team Cherry blog or Fangamer.
Is Silksong Actually Worth the Wait?
Seven million copies sold by December 2025 says yes. But let's be real: it's different.
Hornet isn't the Knight. She’s faster. She’s louder. She talks! The combat feels less like a slow dance and more like a high-speed chase. Instead of the "charms" we spent hours mixing and matching in Hallownest, we now have Crests and Tools. You’re crafting tacks, longpins, and weird silken gadgets to survive.
The scale of Pharloom is also kind of exhausting in a good way. The "Citadel" looms over everything, and the world is designed vertically. You're ascending, not descending. It changes the whole vibe.
Some people found the difficulty spike a bit much—specifically the early-game bosses like Moorwing—which is why Team Cherry already pushed out several patches (like Patch 1.0.28470) to smooth things over.
What You Should Do Right Now
If you haven't jumped in yet, here is the move:
- Check Game Pass: If you’re on PC or Xbox, it’s still there. It's the cheapest way to see if the silk-swinging life is for you.
- Download the Patches: If you're playing a physical copy (if you found some rare early run) or an un-updated digital version, make sure you're on at least Patch 4. They’ve added a ton of QoL fixes, including better controller support and ultrawide monitor options.
- Wait on the Physical: If you're a collector, stay patient. A physical release is almost certainly happening given how well the game sold, but don't pay scalper prices for "pre-orders" on shady sites right now.
- Prep for the DLC: Since Sea of Sorrow is coming later this year, finishing the base game now is probably a good idea so you aren't overwhelmed when the nautical content drops.
The "When does Silksong come out" era is over. Now we're in the "How do I beat this boss" era. And honestly? It’s a much better place to be.
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Next Steps for Players:
Go ahead and check your digital storefront of choice—the game is currently available for $19.99 on Steam, Switch, and PlayStation. If you're struggling with the transition from the Knight's movement to Hornet's acrobatics, try remapping your "dash" to a shoulder button; it makes the aerial combat in Pharloom feel way more natural.