The long-awaited release of Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally set for September 4, 2025, and its arrival is shaking up the indie gaming calendar in a way few titles ever do. The original Hollow Knight became one of the most acclaimed indie games of all time, so anticipation for its sequel has been nothing short of massive. 
Now, as the launch draws near, other studios are scrambling to avoid competing with it – delaying their own projects to give Silksong space to dominate the spotlight.
Within a day of Team Cherry’s announcement, multiple developers announced delays. Among the most notable is Baby Steps, the quirky physics-based adventure from the creators of QWOP, Getting Over It, and Ape Out. Originally slated for September 8, it’s now moving back to September 23. The developers admitted that releasing just four days after Silksong would have been a losing battle for attention.
Another major shift came from Necrosoft Games and publisher Ysbryd Games, who pushed their Persona-inspired tactical RPG Demonschool from September 3 to November 19. While Ysbryd explained the move as a strategic decision to avoid being overshadowed, Necrosoft candidly admitted it wasn’t their preference – but praised the publisher for covering the extra costs caused by the delay.
Other indies followed suit. Faeland, an early access RPG, postponed its full release, and Little Witch in the Woods shifted its 1.0 launch to mid-September. Even demos weren’t spared: Stomp and the Sword of Miracles held back its planned September 4 demo release to a later date, giving developers more breathing room.
In total, at least seven games have now been rescheduled to steer clear of Silksong’s release window. While some of these titles overlap with Silksong’s 2D platforming DNA, others belong to entirely different genres. Still, the unified retreat underscores just how powerful Silksong’s gravitational pull is within the indie scene. For at least a week – or more – players’ eyes will almost certainly be fixed on Hornet’s adventure, leaving little oxygen for competing launches.
Few games can command this kind of industry-wide respect and caution. Silksong hasn’t just delayed its own development; it’s delayed the rest of the indie world around it.
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demonschool delay hurts, was hyped for that