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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSilksong’s September 4, 2025 launch coincided with a sharp reported sales week for the original Hollow Knight on Steam, while several nearby releases changed dates. The available figures show a short-term lift, not how many additional copies Silksong itself caused the original game to sell.
Did Hollow Knight: Silksong boost sales of the original Hollow Knight?
The original game saw a notable Steam sales run around Silksong’s launch. GameSpot relayed Alinea Analytics’ estimate that Hollow Knight sold 205,000 Steam copies during September 7–13, 2025. It was the game’s third consecutive week above 200,000 copies on Steam, according to the report. GameSpot’s report
That is a weekly estimate for Steam, not audited sales across every platform. It also does not isolate how many purchases happened because of Silksong. The evidence supports saying the games’ timing coincided with a sales rise for the original—not that Silksong alone caused a specific number of extra sales.
ABC News reported in September 2025 that the original Hollow Knight had sold more than 15 million copies. That is a reported lifetime figure, rather than a newly audited total. Team Cherry later said more than seven million people had purchased Silksong, with millions more playing through Xbox Game Pass. ABC News Team Cherry’s December 2025 update
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Team Cherry announced Silksong for September 4, 2025, on Steam, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, Xbox, PlayStation 4 and 5, GOG, and Humble Bundle. The announcement said it would also be playable on day one through Xbox Game Pass. Team Cherry’s launch announcement
Which games delayed their release dates to avoid Silksong?
Silksong’s launch date became public only two weeks before release, ABC News reported. That left developers with nearby launch plans little time to respond. These reported examples show some of the decisions studios made; they are not a complete list of games that moved.
Rank #2
![Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51nXCF+sf5L._SL160_.jpg)
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
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- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
| Game | Reported date change | Stated reason or qualification | Evidence of sales impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demonschool | Delayed from its planned September release; the new date is not stated in the cited ABC News report. | Publisher Ysbryd Games said September would be “Silksong’s moment” and that it wanted the game “to be seen and talked about meaningfully.” | No sales impact reported. |
| Baby Steps | Moved from September 8 to September 23, 2025. | The date change was reported by ABC News in its coverage of the release window. | No sales impact reported. |
| CloverPit | Moved from September 3 to September 26, 2025. | GamesRadar reported the change in the context of studios avoiding competition for attention around Silksong. | No sales impact reported. |
| Aeterna Lucis | Moved out of September; a replacement date is not stated in the cited GamesRadar report. | GamesRadar described Silksong competition as part of the release context, but also reported that the developer lacked development kits needed for a simultaneous next-generation-platform release. The delay should not be attributed to Silksong alone. | No sales impact reported. |
| Hell Is Us | Kept its September 4, 2025 date. | Creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête said the studio decided to keep the date and was happy it did. | Jacques-Belletête believed Silksong negatively affected sales, but said he did not have sales figures to demonstrate it. |
Sources: ABC News, GamesRadar, and GameSpot.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the release changes say—and what they do not
The examples point to a practical concern: a major release can crowd the attention available to smaller games, especially when its date is announced close to launch. Ysbryd Games explicitly framed its Demonschool delay around giving the game room to be noticed. That is a scheduling judgment, not proof that a competing release would necessarily have reduced its sales.
Hell Is Us illustrates the difference between an industry participant’s assessment and measured results. Rogue Factor creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête said he believed Silksong had hurt the game’s sales, while acknowledging he had no numbers to show the effect. GameSpot’s interview report
Rank #3
![Hollow Knight: Silksong Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51mOgOC8xEL._SL160_.jpg)
- Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
- Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
- Craft powerful tools! Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps, and mechanisms to vanquish your enemies and explore new heights.
- Solve shocking quests! Hunt down rare beasts and solve ancient mysteries to grant the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope.
- Face over 200 ferocious foes! Beasts and hunters, monsters and knights. Defeat them all with bravery and skill!
For the original Hollow Knight, Team Cherry co-founder William Pellen told ABC News that continued discovery of the original was what the team had hoped for, adding that it suggested the game had not “fallen out of date.” Co-founder Ari Gibson said the long development of Silksong reflected a small team and the time games take, rather than a major controversy. ABC News
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Rank #4
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- Includes four giant bonus content packs: Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster
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- Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds, and ruined cities
- Forge your own path. The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face, and find your own way forward
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