The wait is over. Or at least, the wait to see actual Hollow Knight: Silksong gameplay is over. We’re literally typing this from a corner of the Gamescom show floor, still buzzing from what we just captured on camera.
After six years of speculation, memes, and enough clown makeup to supply a circus, Team Cherry’s Metroidvania sequel is real, playable, and everything the patient masses have been hoping for.
The footage embedded below? That’s straight from the demo stations, recorded minutes ago while convention staff pretended not to notice our extremely subtle filming technique.
What’s Changed Since We Last Saw Silksong
The Gamescom demo throws you straight into two distinct areas—Moss Grotto and Deep Docks—each showcasing how differently Silksong plays compared to its predecessor.
Team Cherry has been tweaking things we didn’t even know needed tweaking. Hornet now performs a subtle backward shuffle when changing direction, a tiny animation that completely changes how movement feels.
It’s the kind of detail you’d only notice hands-on, making her feel more grounded despite her acrobatic arsenal.
Refined Animations and Reworked Areas
The Moss Grotto opens with environmental storytelling through a fainting effect that wasn’t in previous footage, immediately establishing this area’s oppressive atmosphere before you face off against the Moss Mother.
Her arena has been quietly redesigned since earlier previews—nothing dramatic, but enough to notice if you’ve been obsessively watching old trailers.
Meanwhile, the Deep Docks throws lighter, faster bombs at you courtesy of its flying enemies, and here’s the kicker: bombs can now spawn from destroyed environmental objects, turning the scenery itself into a potential threat.
Combat refinements run deeper than expected. Healing has been deliberately slowed down, forcing you to be more strategic about when to pause and recover. The “silk severed” animation that appeared on regular enemies in old footage? Gone.
Whether it’s been moved to specific enemy types or removed entirely remains unclear, but it streamlines regular combat encounters.
Your showdown with Lace in the Deep Docks reveals just how much more aggressive boss design has become—she’s relentless in ways that make Hollow Knight’s toughest fights feel almost turn-based by comparison.
@spilled.gg Hollow Knight: Silksong First Gameplay at Gamescom 2025 #hollowknight #silksong #gamescom ♬ Originalton – spilled
What Six Years of Development Looks Like
Hollow Knight: Silksong started life as DLC. Back in 2019, when Team Cherry announced they’d transformed their Hornet-focused expansion into a full sequel, nobody expected we’d still be talking about release dates in 2025. Yet here we are, and judging by what’s playable at Gamescom, those years weren’t wasted.
The original Hollow Knight redefined what indie Metroidvanias could achieve—selling over three million copies and spawning a community so dedicated they’ve turned waiting for news into an art form.
Every Nintendo Direct, PlayStation Showcase, and Xbox presentation has become a ritual of hope and disappointment, with fans donning clown noses to acknowledge their eternal optimism.
Last night’s Opening Night Live gave us a brief tease—snippets of Hornet navigating Pharloom while Geoff talked over it, followed by a promise of a “special announcement” coming Thursday. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier has even confirmed he’s publishing a development deep-dive with Team Cherry that same day.
Why Gamescom 2025 Matters
This isn’t just another convention appearance. After years of radio silence punctuated only by the occasional “it’s still coming” reassurance, having Silksong playable at Gamescom signals confidence. Team Cherry doesn’t do things halfway—if they’re letting the public touch their baby, it means they’re ready.
The timing isn’t coincidental either. With 2025 already confirmed as the release window, this Gamescom appearance feels less like a tease and more like the beginning of an actual marketing campaign. The drought is ending.
The Community Can Finally Exhale
For a fanbase that’s turned suffering into a meme economy, seeing Silksong in action represents validation. Every theory video, every frame-by-frame analysis of old trailers, every “Is Silksong even real?” joke—it all led to this moment.
The demo stations will draw consistent crowds once the show floor opens for the public, with wait times that will make theme parks jealous. But nobody will complain. After six years, what’s another hour in line?
What we’re seeing at Gamescom isn’t just a game—it’s proof that sometimes, the long wait pays off. Team Cherry took their time, ignored the pressure, and appear to have crafted something that justifies every clown nose worn in anticipation.
Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re getting back in line for another round. This footage won’t capture itself.
