Hollow Knight: Silksong, released September 4, 2025, has already captivated players with its expanded world, fast-paced combat, and haunting atmosphere. But as with many large-scale launches, a few issues have surfaced. Developer Team Cherry has acknowledged these problems and provided both temporary workarounds and details on upcoming fixes.
If you are exploring Pharloom and run into bugs (the digital kind, not just the ones you fight), here is a full rundown of the currently known issues and how to address them.
Major Known Issues
Slab Escape Battle – Permanent Cloak Loss
- Issue: Dying during the final wave while dealing the killing blow may cause players to respawn without their cloak.
- Temporary Solution: Use the autosave function to roll back to the “Caged” autosave, though this means replaying the Slab escape sequence.
- Status: Fixed internally; patch coming soon. Steam and GOG users will see the fix arrive early through a Public Beta branch.
Quick-Map Soft-Lock
- Issue: Rare instances where quick-mapping can freeze the player in place.
- Temporary Solution: Use Save and Quit from the pause menu, then reload.
- Status: Fixed internally; included in the next update.
Lace Tool Deflect Soft-Lock
- Issue: Throwing a tool at Lace while restarting her Deep Docks battle can cause loss of control.
- Temporary Solution: Use Save and Quit to exit and return.
Chapel of the Reaper Battle Soft-Lock
- Issue: A Silk Snipper enemy may get stuck out of bounds, halting progression.
- Temporary Solution: Use Save and Quit to reload the fight.
Controller Detection on PC
- Issue: Some controllers may not be recognized or behave incorrectly.
- Status: Investigation ongoing.
Save File Problems
- Broken Save / Stuck State:
Use the Save Restore function found on the Select Profile screen. This allows you to roll back to earlier autosaves but will overwrite the current file. - Save File Locations:
- Windows:
%USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/Team Cherry/Hollow Knight Silksong/ - Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/unity.Team-Cherry.Silksong/ - Linux:
~/.config/unity3d/Team Cherry/Hollow Knight Silksong/
For Steam users, save files will be in a folder tied to your Steam ID. Non-Steam builds use the default directory above.
- Windows:
- Error: “Save could not be written”
Usually caused by antivirus blocking write access. Add an exception for the save folder, and ensure your drive has enough storage. - “Version Incompatible” Warning
Appears if the save file has been opened in a newer version of the game. Older builds cannot read these saves to prevent data corruption.
Bug Reporting and Support
If you encounter problems not listed above, Team Cherry encourages players to first check the official FAQ before submitting reports through their bug reporting form.
Despite these launch hiccups, Hollow Knight: Silksong remains a striking expansion of Team Cherry’s acclaimed formula, bringing Hornet into the spotlight with new agility, weapons, and a sprawling new kingdom to explore. Many of the most disruptive issues already have fixes in place for the next update, and temporary workarounds ensure players can still progress through Pharloom in the meantime.
With regular patches on the way, the experience will only grow smoother, allowing players to focus on what matters most: surviving the beautifully hostile world of Silksong.
