Hollow Knight: Silksong divides developers over its price

After years of waiting and social media memes, Hollow Knight: Silksong has finally arrived on Steam and other platforms. Priced at €19.99, Team Cherry's metroidvania not only won over millions of players, but also sparked an unexpected debate: is it fair that a game of this magnitude costs so little?

In the midst of high video game prices, the community celebrated Silksong's accessibility. However, for many indie developers, this success has a dark side: it can set unrealistic expectations about the value of an indie game.

RJ Lake, composer of I Am Your Beast , declared that Silksong “should cost $40.” He said that very few studios can invest so many years in development and then sell their work for such a low price, unless they sell millions like Team Cherry did with Hollow Knight . He called this phenomenon a “distortion effect.”

In other words, Silksong might set the bar too high: indie games with a smaller reach would struggle to justify similar prices without jeopardizing their sustainability.

The impact was felt immediately. The creator of Lone Fungus hesitated to maintain its price at $20. Toukana, makers of Dorfromantik , moved Star Birds ' release date and adjusted the price to avoid direct competition. Even Devolver Digital delayed Baby Steps to avoid Silksong's shadow.

Co-founder Zausch summed it up well:

“Yes, Silksong's price influenced our decision. We try not to compete too much on date or price. That complicates things.”

Mike Rose of No More Robots recalls that it was once thought that a high price allowed for greater discounts over time. But today, with less purchasing power among gamers, being the "only game anyone will buy" makes lower prices strategic.

Still, experts like Bram van Lith believe Silksong won't completely transform the indie economy:

"No matter how big Silksong is, I don't think it could really affect the current price of indie games. It would take hundreds of titles like this to move the market."

The secret lies in Team Cherry's privileged position. After selling over 15 million copies of Hollow Knight , the studio isn't immediately dependent on Silksong revenue. This financial freedom allowed them to extend development and deliver a larger metroidvania without raising the price.

Therefore, while Silksong influences short-term decisions, it will hardly change what an indie game should cost in the long run. What it did achieve is reopen a necessary conversation: how much the effort, creativity, and years invested in independent video games are really worth.

Hollow Knight: Silksong isn't just a gameplay phenomenon; it's also a case study in the economics of indie games. While fans are enjoying an outstanding metroidvania for under 20 euros, developers are wondering if this success is a one-off… or the beginning of a new era in the industry.