The highly anticipated sequel to the popular video game Hollow Knight, titled Hollow Knight: Silksong, has officially launched. Developed by the small Adelaide-based studio Team Cherry, the game has generated significant excitement since its announcement. The original Hollow Knight sold over 15 million copies, captivating players with its unique world of anthropomorphic bugs.

After nearly seven years of silence, Team Cherry returned with Silksong, which was initially conceived as an expansion for the first game. The sequel features a new playable character, Hornet, who was a boss and secondary protagonist in the original. Developer Ari Gibson explained that the scale of Hornet's story grew so large that it warranted its own title. "For a time, we imagined you would be able to dynamically switch to Hornet in Hollow Knight, but it quickly became clear that she needed her own world and identity," Gibson said.

The launch of Silksong was met with overwhelming demand, causing online stores for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and PC to crash. Gibson noted that the development process was enjoyable, allowing the team to take their time to create the game they envisioned. "It was always progressing. We're a small team, and games take a lot of time. There wasn't any big controversial moment behind it," he stated.

William Pellen, another developer at Team Cherry, expressed confidence in the game's success, saying, "The 'goal' is already kind of done. We had an idea for a game that we wanted to make, and our biggest hope is a smooth launch."

Silksong currently ranks number one on Steam's wishlist chart, with approximately 418,000 players following the title. The anticipation surrounding its release has led other game developers to delay their titles to avoid competition. For instance, Singaporean publisher Ysbryd Games postponed the launch of Demonschool, originally set for the same day, to allow Silksong to have its moment in the spotlight.

Pellen remarked on the enduring appeal of the original Hollow Knight, noting that its distinctive style has allowed it to remain relevant. "The fact that people keep discovering Hollow Knight suggests that it hasn't fallen out of date. We hope Silksong can achieve that too," he said.

As players dive into the new adventure, the team at Team Cherry is eager to see how the gaming community responds to Hornet's journey.