The highly anticipated sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong, burst onto the gaming scene last week with an overwhelmingly successful debut, particularly on PC via Steam. Data from Circana`s US Player Engagement Tracker reveals that an impressive over 7% of active Steam users played Silksong on its very first day. This incredible engagement positioned it as the third most-played game overall, trailing only behind established titans like Helldivers II and Counter-Strike 2. This strong PC foothold echoes its predecessor, the original Hollow Knight, which similarly cultivated a massive and devoted fanbase on Steam.
Mat Piscatella of Circana observed, “It was anticipated that Hollow Knight: Silksong would have the highest initial appeal with the core enthusiast audience, particularly on PC. So far, that seems to have been the case.” He also highlighted the significant role of its inclusion in Game Pass, which notably boosted launch-day engagement for Xbox users.
While its PC performance soared, console statistics present a varied picture. On Xbox, Silksong achieved more than 2% engagement, securing the 12th spot among active players. This metric focuses on actual play rather than just downloads, indicating a solid interest. In sharp contrast, PlayStation saw less than 1% engagement, landing at a distant 55th place, largely attributed to its absence from popular subscription services akin to Game Pass. Comprehensive data for Nintendo platforms, which Circana`s tracker currently doesn`t cover, remains unavailable. This missing information makes it challenging to forecast the ultimate largest player base, especially considering the original Hollow Knight`s immense popularity on the Nintendo Switch.
Even though it has only been available for a week, the sudden launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong generated such an immense buzz that several independent game studios reportedly adjusted and postponed their own release dates. Their aim was to avoid being overshadowed by Hornet`s much-anticipated adventure. Such a profound impact, where a non-AAA title shifts the release calendar for other developers, is a rare occurrence, underscoring the substantial cultural weight and influence Silksong commands within the indie gaming community.
These initial figures offer merely a glimpse into its opening-day performance. The full weekly rankings, expected to be released shortly, will provide a more comprehensive understanding of Silksong`s extensive reach. Nevertheless, this early data strongly suggests a triumphant and unequivocally PC-first launch for the game.