Hollow Knight Silksong launch crashes major game stores

WEB DESK: Australian studio Team Cherry has finally dropped Hollow Knight: Silksong, the long-awaited sequel to its 2017 smash hit, on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.

The surprise release attracted more than 530,000 concurrent players on Steam, straining servers and triggering delays.

Issues persisted for nearly two hours, with outage-tracking site Downdetector logging more than 3,700 complaints at the peak, according to the BBC.

Social media was flooded with screenshots of error codes, with frustrated fans criticising the lack of pre-order options that might have eased the pressure.

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The game follows Hornet, a sword-wielding princess first introduced in the 2017 original. Unlike the silent protagonist of Hollow Knight, Hornet has her own voice, personality, and charm, adding a new dynamic to the adventure.

Early impressions from players and critics highlight smoother exploration, refined combat, and smarter design choices.

The map system, considered a barrier for newcomers in the original, has been streamlined, while a new resource system adds both challenge and balance. Players can now stash their currency, reducing the frustration of losing everything after defeat.

Customization has also been expanded, with color-coded charms and abilities that let players build unique playstyles. The risk of punishing difficulty remains, but the sequel introduces options that make setbacks less harsh.

The launch chaos even led Silksong’s composer Christopher Larkin to joke on X that the game had “crashed the internet.”

For fans, the technical hiccups were only a temporary obstacle to diving into one of the year’s most anticipated releases.