Silksong: Key Details from Demos and Trailers

Within just two days, Silksong received both a teaser and a full-length trailer, culminating in the long-awaited announcement of a concrete release date. But that's not the only news for fans this week. Read on for details about the Gamescom demo and a comprehensive breakdown of everything new we've learned about the game so far.

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Pharloom Is Finally Within Reach

Of Silk and Song

Six years have passed. Six years of fans donning clown noses, clinging to hope, and pleading for any scrap of news about Silksong's release at every gaming event. After countless speculative posts, online summoning rituals, and Reddit "sacrifices," Team Cherry has finally delivered: they showcased Hollow Knight: Silksong, allowed hands-on gameplay, and announced a release date—September 4, 2025, just two weeks away. The announcement included confirmation of a day-one launch on Xbox Game Pass and release on all expected platforms (including the Switch 2). The uncertainty has lifted. Even better, the new trailer and Gamescom demo reveal exciting details about the sequel's actual gameplay and world.

First, the overview. The release trailer and follow-up posts reiterate the core premise established in earlier promotions: "ascend to the peak of a haunted kingdom." This kingdom is Pharloom, described as "a kingdom dedicated to faith and pilgrimage," where Hornet awakens after being captured.

How Did Hornet End Up in Pharloom?

Note: The following section contains spoilers for late-game content and the endings of Hollow Knight. If you wish to avoid spoilers, please skip to the next section.

This raises a crucial question: How did Hornet end up in Pharloom? Team Cherry has been tight-lipped, but studio co-director Ari Gibson offered a significant clue in a 2017 Reddit AMA, back when Silksong was conceived as DLC. When asked about the canonicity of each ending, Gibson stated, "All endings are equally canon. We're not into 'True Endings.' You choose the path yourself. We'll do our best in all future Hollow Knight content to account for all of them." This is important because Hollow Knight features five distinct endings (six including the optional Mister Mushroom "Passing of the Age" epilogue), each placing Hornet in a slightly different narrative position.

For context, here is a brief summary of each ending:

　⚫︎　In the Sealed Siblings ending, Hornet is defeated in the battle against the Hollow Knight. The Knight, the protagonist, overcomes the Hollow Knight but becomes the new vessel, sealing away the infection and trapping Hornet outside the Black Egg temple.

　⚫︎　In Dream No More, the Knight and the Radiance—a moth-like entity and the game's secret final boss—perish together. As the infection dissipates, Hornet kneels silently before the Knight's shattered mask.

　⚫︎　The Embrace the Void ending sees the Knight ascend as a new Void Entity, a monstrous being regarded in-game as the "God of Gods," assuming dominion over the Abyss. Hornet again watches, powerless, from the threshold.

　⚫︎　In Void Heart, the Knight embraces their nature and, alongside the Hollow Knight, defeats the Radiance, resulting in a bittersweet conclusion with Hornet remaining as a guardian at the shrine.

　⚫︎　Finally, in The Hollow Knight ending, if the Knight fails to cleanse the original vessel's infection, they simply take its place, perpetuating the cycle. Hornet does not appear in this ending.

What connects all five endings is Hornet's liminal state. Whether kneeling, watching, or standing guard, she remains an outsider at the conclusion's doorstep, her own story unresolved even as the Knight's journey ends. This provides fertile ground for Silksong's premise. If all endings are equally valid, then Pharloom could represent the next chapter across every narrative branch. Hornet might be drawn away, summoned, or captured—the connecting thread depends on your interpretation. Perhaps she is conscripted by Pharloom's ruling powers, or, as the trailer suggests, she is simply escaping one prison only to find herself in another.

The truth is, we still don't know exactly what transpires in Silksong, as Team Cherry has masterfully maintained secrecy for years. What we do know comes from the gameplay demos. These demos present a consistent vision: Silksong retains Hollow Knight's signature aesthetic (lacquered art, melancholic strings) but introduces faster-paced movement. Multiple hands-on previews highlight the new combat rhythm, emphasizing evasion, parries, ripostes, and decisive strikes. In the Deep Docks demo segment, even common enemies match Hornet's increased speed.

Silksong Demo Gameplay: What's New?

We know of two demo locations—Moss Grotto and Deep Docks—both of which convey narrative depth with minimal exposition.

Based on previews, Moss Grotto seems designed to excel at one thing: introducing Hornet's expanded toolkit while evoking the beloved atmosphere of the original Hallownest. It's brightly lit where Hollow Knight often dwelled in gloom. Featuring lime-green moss, clear pools, and collapsible platforms, the area encourages players to utilize Hornet's acrobatic abilities for climbing and traversal.

Encounters here appear tutorial-focused, presenting low-to-mid threat enemies that teach players how to use the Bind (healing) ability and Tools in active combat. A boss encounter concludes the area—often referred to as the Moss Mother in previews—which tests the player's mastery of Hornet's new movement options.

The level design strongly recalls the first game, with intricate tunnel networks beckoning exploration in multiple directions, fueling that essential sense of discovery. This establishes the framework for Hornet's escape, and it will be fascinating to see where the journey leads from here.