Following Team Cherry’s long-awaited reveal of the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date on the 21st, the original Hollow Knight has surged to its highest concurrent players count in history on Steam.

Hollow Knight is a 2D Metroidvania that hit Steam back in 2017. While it was widely hailed as a masterpiece, it actually struggled to break 10,000 concurrent players at launch, and its previous record hovered around 20,000 in 2022. However, ever since the 21st, when the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date was announced, the concurrent players count has been on an unstoppable climb. By the 22nd, it surpassed the old record with 22,000 players, eventually peaking at 39,356 on the 25th.

The trend suggests that players are brushing up on their skills ahead of the Hollow Knight: Silksong launch on the 4th. Since the narrative picks up after the original, and given the precise nature of 2D platforming Metroidvanias, it makes perfect sense for fans to recalibrate their muscle memory before diving into the sequel.

Hollow Knight follows the journey through an ancient, ruined kingdom beneath the dilapidated town of Dirtmouth. The character known as the 'Knight' battles corrupted creatures and befriends insects to unravel ancient mysteries. User reviews for Hollow Knight are 'Overwhelmingly Positive' (with 385,574 participants and a 97% positive rating). The game is lauded for its moody atmosphere, crisp art style, and a combat system that is as challenging as it is rewarding. Its accessible price point, paired with the fact that all DLC is included for free, makes it a bargain that is hard to beat.