Why Indie Games are Delaying Their Launches Because of Hollow Knight Silksong

When a highly anticipated game like Hollow Knight Silksong is about to be released, other game developers pay close attention. Silksong has become so popular that it is topping the charts as one of the most wishlisted games on Steam. Because of all this excitement, many smaller indie games have decided to delay their own release dates. They do not want to compete for attention when Silksong arrives and draws most of the spotlight.

This is not something new in gaming. Sometimes developers delay or adjust their release plans when a major game is announced. The same thing happened with big titles like Starfield and Cyberpunk 2077. For indie studios, launching near a giant release can mean their own game might get overlooked, so they prefer to wait.

Since Silksong announced its release date, at least eight indie games have decided to change their plans. Here are some examples:

CloverPit is a slot machine inspired game that shifted its launch from September 3 to September 26 so Silksong does not overshadow it.

Stomp and the Sword of Miracles delayed both its demo and its Kickstarter campaign. The developer compared themselves to a small fish trying not to get swallowed by a whale.

Faeland postponed its release even after working on the game for over seven years. The team wants the game to get the attention it deserves, so they will announce a new date later.

Aeterna Lucis, the sequel to Aeterna Noctis, was set to launch in September but now targets 2026. The makers said that Silksong's timing was a big factor, on top of their own challenges with development tools.

Peak is a multiplayer climbing game that is already released, so its developers just joked about the situation online.

Demonschool, a tactical roleplaying game, moved its release all the way to November 19. The publisher realized it would be tough to compete, even though October is also a busy month for new games.

Little Witch in the Woods delayed its final 1.0 release from September 4 to September 15. The studio said that releasing on the same day as Silksong would be hard for both their team and their fans.

Baby Steps, a funny open world walking game, pushed back its release date from September 8 to September 23.

Finally, Moros Protocol, a sci fi shooter, also moved its launch from September 4 to September 18 to avoid launching near Silksong.

Developers hope that pushing their release dates will give their projects a better chance to stand out. Whenever a major release is on the horizon, it can create waves throughout the game industry. That is certainly the case right now as everyone waits for Silksong.

Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/heres-every-game-that-silksongs-surprise-release-has-delayed-as-indies-scramble-to-escape-its-powerful-aura/