Hollow Knight. It’s basically the gold standard for Metroidvanias now, right? But honestly, if you ask three different people when it actually came out, you might get three different years. That’s because the rollout for this game wasn't a "one and done" event. It was more of a slow, beautiful burn that took over the world platform by platform.
The short answer? Hollow Knight was officially released on February 24, 2017. But that was just for PC. If you were a console player back then, you were basically just sitting there, staring at screenshots and feeling left out for a long time.
The PC Launch: Where It All Started
Team Cherry is just three people. Well, it was mostly just Ari Gibson and William Pellen at the start. They had this tiny Kickstarter back in 2014 that raised about $57,000 AUD. Looking back, that feels like a steal for one of the greatest games ever made.
When February 24, 2017, rolled around, the game dropped on Windows. Linux and macOS versions followed shortly after in April. It didn't explode overnight. It was more like a quiet realization among gamers that this $15 indie game was somehow better than most $60 AAA titles.
The Switch Port That Changed Everything
If you really want to know when Hollow Knight "arrived" in the cultural zeitgeist, you have to look at June 12, 2018. That was the day it dropped on the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo fans had been begging for this. The portability of the Switch just fits the "one more room" exploration of Hallownest perfectly. I remember the E3 2018 Nintendo Direct—they basically just said, "It's out... now." And the eShop almost died.
What About PlayStation and Xbox?
Those of you on PS4 and Xbox One had to wait even longer. It wasn't until September 25, 2018, that the "Voidheart Edition" launched on those platforms.
By this point, the game wasn't just the base version anymore. The Voidheart Edition included all the major content packs:
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- Hidden Dreams: Added those extra-tough dream bosses.
- The Grimm Troupe: Introduced the spooky circus and that absolute nightmare of a boss, NKG.
- Lifeblood: Cleaned up the technical stuff and added some balance.
- Godmaster: The final, brutal boss gauntlet that still makes people throw their controllers.
Why the Release Dates Matter Now
Fast forward to today. It’s 2026. We’ve finally lived through the "Silksong" era—which, if you've been under a rock, officially released on September 4, 2025.
Looking back at the original Hollow Knight release timeline helps explain why Team Cherry took so long with the sequel. The first game grew through four massive, free updates over two years. They don't just "release" a game; they live with it.
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Even now, Team Cherry is still at it. They recently announced a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the original Hollow Knight coming in 2026, which is supposed to bring the high frame rates and resolution bumps we saw in Silksong back to the original masterpiece.
Fast Facts: Hollow Knight’s Timeline
- Kickstarter End: December 2014.
- Initial PC Release: February 24, 2017.
- Switch Launch: June 12, 2018.
- PS4/Xbox One (Voidheart): September 25, 2018.
- Total Sales: Over 15 million copies as of late 2024.
If you’re just getting into the series because of the Silksong hype, don’t skip the original. It’s usually on sale for pennies these days, and honestly, the atmosphere of Hallownest is something you just can’t replicate.
What You Should Do Next
If you own the game on Steam or GOG, jump into the public-beta branches. Team Cherry just pushed updates for 16:10 and 21:9 support (perfect for Steam Deck owners) as they prep the game for its 2026 "refresh" on newer consoles. If you've only played the console versions, checking out the PC beta is a great way to see the minor tweaks they're making to keep the game feeling modern nearly a decade later.