No Early Review for Hollow Knight: Silksong

Hollow Knight: Silksong (Credit: Team Chery)

Indie studio Team Cherry will not be distributing early review codes for Hollow Knight: Silksong, meaning players will have to wait until the game’s release on September 4 before reviews start rolling in.

While such decisions often spark concern among fans, Team Cherry has provided a straightforward explanation. As reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier on Bluesky, the studio explained that "it would be unfair for critics to get their hands on the game before Kickstarter backers and other players," who have been waiting nearly eight years since the original Hollow Knight. The team also noted that "it'd take a lot of time to get codes and distribute them, and they're a tiny team with lots to do in the next two weeks."

The lack of early codes may feel disappointing for some, especially those who prefer to wait for reviews before making a purchase. However, for many fans, this won’t be much of a deterrent. The original Hollow Knight was a massive critical and commercial success, and anticipation for its sequel has been building for years. For players who loved the first game, Silksong is practically a guaranteed day-one buy.

Interestingly, this decision contrasts with bigger studios that have sometimes avoided early codes for less positive reasons. For instance, Build a Rocket Boy’s MindsEye launched without review copies and was met with heavy criticism upon release. But in Team Cherry’s case, the reasoning seems less about hiding flaws and more about fairness and logistics.

Originally planned as DLC for Hollow Knight, the project eventually expanded into a full sequel with new areas, bosses, and the series’ trademark fast-paced platforming. The studio has openly admitted that development took longer than expected, but not because of any production issues. Instead, Team Cherry said the process stretched out because they were constantly adding new ideas and content, making the game bigger than originally planned.

The wait has been long, but with a set release date finally in place, fans can be assured the game is ready. And while no early reviews will be available, the sheer excitement surrounding Hollow Knight: Silksong suggests it won’t affect sales much. In fact, the buzz is so high that other studios have already adjusted their release schedules to avoid clashing with its launch.

Hollow Knight: Silksong releases worldwide on September 4, and players will soon discover whether the long wait was worth it.