Hollow Knight: Silksong makes a great example of the indie part for gaming industry

Six years of silence. Countless memes. A wishlist so long it became legend. And then—boom. Hollow Knight: Silksong dropped on September 4, 2025, and within three days, it had already swept up over 5 million players worldwide. That’s not just a successful launch—it’s a cultural moment.

Performance Breakdown: Numbers That Speak Louder Than Hype

According to data from Alinea Insight:

5 million total players in the first 72 hours
- 1 million via Game Pass on console
- 3 million copies sold on Steam, generating over $50 million in revenue
Silksong outsold the combined totals of other top 2025 indie hits:
- Schedule 1: 858k
- Peak: 332k
- R.E.P.O.: 253k
Top Steam markets: 🇺🇸 United States, 🇨🇳 China, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇯🇵 Japan, 🇧🇷 Brazil
PlayStation player base:
- 30% North America
- 14% East Asia
- 14% Western Europe

These numbers aren’t just impressive—they’re historic. Silksong’s launch dwarfed its indie peers and even rivaled AAA titles in engagement, all while maintaining its signature mystery and minimalist marketing.

The Power of Mystery: How Team Cherry Played the Long Game

Silksong’s marketing was a masterclass in restraint. No drip-feed trailers. No endless dev diaries. Just a two-week heads-up before launch—and that was enough. The community had been primed for years, dissecting every frame of teaser footage and flooding every major gaming event with “Where’s Silksong?” chants.

That tension paid off. The game’s surprise release turned anticipation into action, and the numbers prove it.

Cultural Resonance: Why Silksong Hits Harder Than Just Gameplay

Silksong isn’t just a sequel—it’s a statement. It builds on Hollow Knight’s legacy of atmospheric storytelling, brutal difficulty, and haunting beauty. But more than that, it’s a reflection of what indie games can be: artistically uncompromising, community-driven, and globally impactful.

For bilingual creators and legacy builders like you, Jesús, Silksong’s success is a reminder that intentionality and mystery can be powerful tools. It’s not about flooding the market—it’s about crafting something worth waiting for.