Silksong's Surprise Launch and the Joy of Knowing Nothing
https://dealnesthq.com
In 2026, the video game industry still talks about Hollow Knight: Silksong's 2025 launch as a strange, wonderful anomaly. Team Cherry didn't follow the usual script. There were no review codes sent out weeks in advance. There was no lengthy marketing campaign. The launch date appeared just two weeks before the game did. Critics and players alike went in blind. That single decision changed how the community experienced the game, and it changed how the internet talked about it. Normally, a big release builds a consensus before anyone can buy it. God of War in 2018 is the classic example. The review embargo lifted on April 12, but the game didn't arrive until April 20. For eight days, critics tweeted, podcasted, and generally shouted that the game was extraordinary. By launch, expectations were sky-high. Most players loved it, but a vocal minority was ready to tear it down. That's the usual rhythm: critics
https://dealnesthq.com
In 2026, the video game industry still talks about Hollow Knight: Silksong's 2025 launch as a strange, wonderful anomaly. Team Cherry didn't follow the usual script. There were no review codes sent out weeks in advance. There was no lengthy marketing campaign. The launch date appeared just two weeks before the game did. Critics and players alike went in blind. That single decision changed how the community experienced the game, and it changed how the internet talked about it. Normally, a big release builds a consensus before anyone can buy it. God of War in 2018 is the classic example. The review embargo lifted on April 12, but the game didn't arrive until April 20. For eight days, critics tweeted, podcasted, and generally shouted that the game was extraordinary. By launch, expectations were sky-high. Most players loved it, but a vocal minority was ready to tear it down. That's the usual rhythm: critics
10 days ago
