The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Hollow Knight: Silksong was in development for roughly eight and a half years, measured from the first pieces of Hornet’s adventure that Team Cherry says came together just after the original Hollow Knight PC release on February 24, 2017, to Silksong’s launch on September 4, 2025. That is elapsed calendar time—not proof of eight and a half years of uninterrupted, full-time production.
When did Silksong development start?
Team Cherry’s clearest account places the earliest pieces of Hornet’s adventure right after the original Hollow Knight launched on PC on February 24, 2017. In its February 14, 2019 announcement, the studio wrote that the adventure had been growing “for well over a year” and that its “very first pieces” came together right after the original game’s PC release. Team Cherry’s announcement
The announcement does not give an exact first day of development. February 24, 2017 is therefore a reference date for calculating the span, not a confirmed start date for production.
How long was it from the earliest work to release?
Silksong became available on September 4, 2025, the release date listed by Steam. Team Cherry’s release announcement Steam store page Counting from February 24, 2017, the elapsed time to launch was about eight years, six months, and eleven days.
#1 Best Overall
![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!
This figure describes calendar time between the developer’s stated reference point and the release date. The available statements do not establish how much of that period involved continuous work, the team’s production intensity, or any pauses.
Why is the 2019 announcement not the start date?
Team Cherry publicly revealed Silksong on February 14, 2019, but said the project had already been growing for well over a year. The reveal date marks when the public learned about the game, not when development began.
Rank #2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure.
- Journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover secrets tied to your nature and your past.
Was Silksong originally planned as DLC?
Yes. Team Cherry said Hornet’s adventure began as planned downloadable content for Hollow Knight, then grew too large and distinct to remain DLC. The studio announced it as a full-scale sequel in 2019. That explains the project’s change in scope, but does not by itself account for the full time between the earliest pieces and release.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
![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!
- Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favorites and make your journey unique!
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
Rank #3
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- 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.
- 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!.Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favourites and make your journey unique!.An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation..
Silksong development timeline
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| February 24, 2017 | The original Hollow Knight launches on PC; Team Cherry later says the first pieces of Hornet’s adventure came together right after it. Source |
| February 14, 2019 | Team Cherry reveals Silksong publicly as a full-scale sequel, after more than a year of growth. Source |
| September 4, 2025 | Silksong launches. Team Cherry Steam |
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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