Team Cherry has confirmed that Hollow Knight: Silksong Kickstarter backers will soon receive their game codes, marking the final stage before the highly anticipated sequel’s release on September 4, 2025. The announcement came through the studio’s latest Kickstarter update, which celebrated the game’s long-awaited arrival and outlined the next steps for early supporters.
In Update #73, the developers reassured fans that distribution of keys is now the priority. Backers will be contacted shortly to confirm platform preferences and email addresses for delivery. Codes will be made available for PC via Steam and DRM-free options, as well as for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Team Cherry wrote, “We’ve had an absolute blast crafting these giant insect worlds, and none of this would have been possible without your support right there at the very beginning.”
The news is particularly significant given Hollow Knight’s origins. The original game was funded in 2014 with a modest Kickstarter goal of just $35,000, later reaching stretch goals that included a second playable character at $56,000. From those humble beginnings, the franchise has grown into one of the most successful indie titles in recent years, with over 15 million copies sold. Initially planned for Wii U, the first game shifted to Switch after Nintendo’s hardware transition, where it found its largest audience.
Team Cherry has also drawn attention for its decision not to distribute early review codes. Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier confirmed that the studio views such a move as unfair to Kickstarter backers, preferring all players to access the sequel at the same time. Schreier wrote, “Team Cherry told me they don’t plan on sending out early codes for Silksong (they felt like it’d be unfair for critics to be playing before Kickstarter backers and other players), so don’t expect to see reviews until after the game comes out.”
Hollow Knight: Silksong will release simultaneously across PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, with day-one availability on Xbox Game Pass. For many longtime fans who first supported the project over a decade ago, the upcoming delivery of backer keys represents the conclusion of a journey that has taken far longer than anyone initially imagined.
