Hollow Knight: Silksong release date reviews unlikely, as Kickstarter supporters prioritized

Kickstarter supporters have had to wait what seems like an eternity for the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date. To acknowledge their loyalty, Team Cherry is not sending out review copies before September 4th. Instead, the donors will be among the first gamers to play the Metroidvania title. Jason Schreier of Bloomberg revealed the Silksong news on social media.

It may seem surprising that after the success of Hollow Knight, Silksong would have any connection to Kickstarter. However, when the title’s 2,158 backers pledged their support starting in 2014, they had no idea the phenomenon that would follow. Silksong itself was not featured in a follow-up campaign. Instead, it's a reward for meeting the $56,000 Hollow Knight stretch goal, which was originally intended for DLC.

It’s unclear when exactly donors will receive Hollow Knight: Silksong, but the developers just updated Kickstarter supporters after six years. As promised, anyone who pledged at least $10 AUD will receive a code for the game on their specific platform. These gamers can expect Team Cherry to contact them shortly with more details.

Jason Schreier also provided another reason to explain the lack of early Silksong reviews. Despite the immense popularity of Hollow Knight, Team Cherry has remained a streamlined operation. Distributing the additional codes to critics would have taken up precious time. The fact that the development team is so small also contributed to a longer-than-expected release cycle.

For some buyers, not having Silksong reviews before its debut may ring alarm bells. It’s become common for publishers to send websites and magazines advanced copies. Still, there is ample media attention before the September 4th Hollow Knight: Silksong release date. Gamescom 2025 also features a playable demo that has been well-received by most testers.