The release of Hollow Knight: Silksong has caused a major shakeup in the gaming world, and the creative director of the recently released action-adventure title Hell is Us isn't entirely pleased with Team Cherry's actions. After many agonizing years of waiting and, often, radio silence from the developer, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally dropped in early September, marking one of the most exciting indie releases in recent memory.
Rumors regarding the Hollow Knight sequel's release began to ramp up in earnest earlier in 2025, and on August 21, Team Cherry finally came forward to announce Silksong's impending release date of September 4. While countless fans of the original title were floored and excited to learn that the title's release was only a few weeks away, the sudden news caused some not-so-positive shock waves in the gaming industry, with many studios deciding to delay their own releases at the last minute to stay out of Silksong's path. Now, one director is speaking out about the impact that Team Cherry's highly anticipated release had on their own project.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Boss Is Actually a Special Cameo
A boss in Hollow Knight: Silksong has a special origin dating to when the sequel was first announced, and many fans remember it even six years later.
Hell is Us Creative Director Shares Frustration with Hollow Knight: Silksong's Sudden Release
During a recent episode of the Friends Per Second podcast, Hell is Us creative director, Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, shared his thoughts regarding Silksong's recent release, calling the game "the GTA 6 of indie." Hell is Us, unfortunately, shared a release date with Team Cherry's new Metroidvania title, with Jacques-Belletête calling the game's shadow drop "a little callous." The director did state that the studio's decision to keep the game's release date wound up being a positive thing, with the developers deciding to weather the storm. "We're still much bigger than some of the smaller ones who would have gotten a lot more affected and who decided to change their dates," he said. Games delayed due to Silksong's release included Baby Steps, Little Witch in the Woods, Demonschool, and Faeland.
Millions of fans immediately flocked to the Hollow Knight sequel, with Silksong boasting over 5 million players during its first three days on the market. Within only hours of its release, the game amassed over 587,000 concurrent players on Steam, with the title currently holding steady at around 286,000 users at the time of this writing. While feedback has been largely positive, Silksong has faced a review bombing campaign due to its poor Chinese translation.
Despite having to compete with Hollow Knight, Silksong, Hell is Us is off to a great start, with players applauding its exploration, dungeons, atmosphere, and addictive gameplay. Many have also commented on the title's uniqueness and narrative, with its horror vibe also making it an excellent choice for the upcoming spooky season.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 91 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- September 4, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
- Developer(s)
- Team Cherry
- Publisher(s)
- Team Cherry
