So, the long night is finally over. We actually have the game. After years of looking for "clown" emojis and staring at a blank Team Cherry website, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally landed on September 4, 2025. Honestly, the release was kind of a disaster—not because the game was bad, but because it literally crashed Steam, PlayStation, and the Xbox storefronts. Seven million people bought it in just three months. That doesn't even count the millions more playing it for free on Xbox Game Pass.
But we aren't here to talk about the launch. We're here for the "what’s next."
Usually, when a game is in development hell for seven years, it comes out and the developers disappear into the woods for a decade. Not Team Cherry. We just got a massive dump of Hollow Knight Silksong news that confirms 2026 is going to be just as busy for Hornet as 2025 was.
The Sea of Sorrow: Our First Real DLC
Basically, Team Cherry just pulled the same move they did with the original game's Godmaster and Grimm Troupe updates. They’ve officially announced a free expansion called Sea of Sorrow.
The teaser trailer they dropped in December 2025 was short. It shows Hornet standing on a jagged rock while massive waves crash behind her. It looks moody. It looks nautical. According to the official blog, this is a "nautically themed" adventure that adds entirely new areas to the Pharloom map, new bosses (obviously), and more tools.
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If you’ve played through the base game, you know how different Hornet’s movement is compared to the Knight. She’s faster. She’s more vertical. Taking that agility into a water-themed environment is a bold move. Most gamers hate "water levels," but if anyone can make a coral forest or a sunken citadel feel good to navigate, it’s Ari Gibson and William Pellen.
The expansion is slated for 2026. No specific day yet. If we're lucky, it’ll be the first half of the year, but since this is Team Cherry we’re talking about, maybe don't hold your breath for January.
The Original Hollow Knight is Getting a Face-Lift
This was the surprise that nobody saw coming. Team Cherry is working on a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the original Hollow Knight.
Here is the deal:
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- It’s free if you already own it on the original Switch.
- It includes high frame-rate modes.
- Higher resolutions (finally).
- New graphical effects to match the "Silksong" look.
In the meantime, they are already patching the PC versions. If you’re on Steam or GOG right now, you can opt into a public beta (v1.5.12301) that adds support for 21:9 and 16:10 resolutions. It’s perfect for the Steam Deck. They even fixed that annoying softlock in the City of Tears Grub room and nerfed Grey Prince Zote's stagger bounce height. Thank god.
Is Silksong Still on Game Pass?
Yes. And it’s staying there.
The Hollow Knight Silksong news for Xbox fans is all green. The Sea of Sorrow expansion will be free for anyone playing via Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. It's wild that a game this big, which sold seven million copies at a $19.99 price point, is still giving away its major DLC for $0. Most studios would be charging $15 for a "Sea of Sorrow" pack, but Team Cherry seems content to keep the "Voidheart" philosophy alive.
Why the 2026 Release Date Matters
A lot of people are asking why the DLC is coming so "quickly" after the main game took seven years.
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The reality? They were probably working on some of this during the main development. Remember, Silksong itself started as DLC for the first game. The scope creep got so bad that they turned it into a sequel. Now, they seem to have a more "controlled" scope creep. They have the engine polished, the assets ready, and a massive player base of seven million people waiting to dive back into Pharloom.
What You Should Do Right Now
If you’ve finished the main game and you’re looking for more, don't just wait around.
- Check the Beta: If you're on PC, hop into the Hollow Knight public beta. The ultrawide support makes the old game feel brand new.
- Pre-order the Minis: Fangamer just launched a new series of mini-figurines depicting Hornet and the new rivals from Silksong. They usually sell out, so grab them now if you're a collector.
- Finish your Hunter’s Journal: If you haven't hit 100% completion in Silksong, do it now. Team Cherry's DLCs usually integrate directly into the existing world, and having a "complete" save file often unlocks the best ways to access the new content.
The nautical themes of Sea of Sorrow suggest we might finally see what lies beyond the edges of the Citadel. It's a big year for the little bugs. Stay tuned for the specific 2026 release date, which will likely drop in a random Tuesday blog post when we least expect it.