The release of Hollow Knight: Silksong has marked a significant milestone in the video game genre, reaching over 3.2 million copies sold on Steam and nearly 1.5 million downloads through Xbox Game Pass. These figures are especially impressive for an indie title from a small production team, reaffirming the great interest generated by the Hollow Knight franchise.
It is already one of the most successful games of the year
According to estimates from the analytics firm GameDiscoverCo, Silksong has outsold other titles in the Metroidvania genre released this year, selling 69 times more copies on Steam than the next best game, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance from Sega. This commercial impact highlights player loyalty, as 79% of those who purchased Silksong have also played or owned the original title, Hollow Knight, which has sold over 11.4 million copies on Steam.
The six-year wait for the release of Silksong has significantly contributed to its reception, but the true driving force behind this success is the recognition of the original game. The fan community, estimated to be between 20 and 30 million people, has shown great enthusiasm for the sequel, and 22% of all Hollow Knight players on Steam have already purchased this new installment.
Although Silksong has performed exceptionally well upon its release, analysts point out that this phenomenon is not entirely comparable to other video game launches due to its highly specific and dedicated fan base. As experts comment, the success of Silksong should be conceived more as a gift for a fervent audience than as a new standard in the evaluation of releases within the video game industry.
