The splash harm attributable to Hollow Knight: Silksong’s large launch impression has unfold past large Steam concurrents and struggling storefronts to the components of the web the place online game pirates hang around — and there one thing attention-grabbing is going on: the pirates are urging one another to purchase the sport as a substitute of downloading the cracked model.
Group Cherry’s hotly anticipated Hollow Knight sequel lastly got here out on September 4, 2025 priced $20, six years after it was introduced, and immediately crashed storefronts together with Steam.
Because the storefronts recovered, participant numbers swelled to the purpose the place Silksong hit an unbelievable launch day peak of 535,213 concurrent gamers on Steam, sufficient to make it the 18th most-played sport ever on Valve’s platform. The true participant rely throughout all platforms might be a lot greater.
Silksong additionally launched DRM-free on GOG, so it was no shock to see a cracked model obtainable to obtain within the hours after launch. What was a shock was the response from some veteran online game pirates, who urged their friends to assist Group Cherry and purchase the sport as a substitute.
“First sport I’ve purchased day of launch in a decade most likely,” mentioned pyrokzg on the piracy subreddit in response to a thread upvoted 7,000 occasions. “Not even the last decade for me. It is the very first,” added Vamsi-Thopu.
So, why is that this occurring? Clearly, there’s a large quantity of goodwill from throughout the web directed at Group Cherry, the small indie developer that noticed the unique Hollow Knight blow up to such an extent that it was in a position to take its merry time with this formidable sequel.
However there’s additionally a sense that Group Cherry does issues the proper approach. For a begin, there’s a DRM-free model obtainable at launch, however the Australian studio was additionally eager to honor the guarantees it made with its unique Hollow Knight Kickstarter all these years in the past. There’s even a free improve for the Nintendo Swap 2 model. Briefly, Group Cherry are the nice guys, and the sensation is that they deserve their success.
“It is a 3-4 particular person staff that has finished proper by their followers at each flip,” mentioned No-Shape6053, additionally on the piracy subreddit. “Ensuring the PC launch is DRM free. Ensuring all unique backers of Hollow Knight get Silksong free on their selection of platform. This can be a time the place if we are able to afford to assist them, we must always.”
“Help the devs should you can, they deserve it,” added iTzNowbie. There’s lots extra the place that got here from, too. “The one sport I’ll really feel unhealthy if I ever pirated it,” mentioned beastfire24. “Hey the sport is fairly low-cost. This one, we must always not pirate,” mentioned Sythrin.
Apparently, some have expressed shock at the collective urge not to pirate Silksong, which itself prompted a dialogue about why that is occurring with Silksong however hasn’t occurred with equally beloved indie video games prior to now.
“Often individuals right here declare that the title, worth, or the indie standing makes no distinction to them, however I suppose that Silksong is simply that revered,” supplied MixaLv.
“I’m stunned too,” added ALIIERTx. “Many occasions individuals are like, ‘I don’t care if I pirate from indie developer,’ however on this one everyone seems to be fairly defensive towards piracy. I’m fascinated.”
Responses to this reinforce the Group Cherry angle. “Group Cherry has constructed themselves an incredible fame,” urged Someone_Existing_1. “As a result of they’re solely a three-person studio, they’ll maintain their video games tremendous low-cost due to far much less staff needing pay. Additionally they aren’t grasping f***s like most firms, so their DLCs are all free and there’s no microtransactions or online-only bulls**t.”
Be certain to take a look at IGN’s Silksong protection, which incorporates the story of the superfan behind the YouTube Channel Every day Silksong Information, who can lastly relaxation after an unbelievable 1,693 days of movies.
Beginning out Silksong? This is how to unlock and use the map, how to get Rosary Beads, the Achievements and Trophies checklist, and our ever increasing Silksong Interactive Map. Additionally, you might want the Bell Beast boss struggle information. It is a exhausting one!
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Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.