Despite its notoriously long development cycle,Hollow Knight: Silksongis still highly anticipated. There may not be any release date in sight, but there are still plans to releaseSilksongwhen it’s finally ready. With its predecessor being one of the most successful indie releases in the past decade,Silksonghas a lot to live up to, but it also has the same problem to face as another indie hit.
Blasphemous 2may not be as much of a mainstream success asHollow Knight, but it and its predecessor are fantastic indie titles with beautiful imagery and a fascinating world, giving both franchises common ground. AlthoughBlasphemous 2has the benefit of being released,onceSilksonglaunches, the two titles are going to meet a fork in the road when it comes to the continuation of their respective franchises.
Silksong and Blasphemous 2 Have a Choice to Make With the Future of Their Franchises
Silksong’s developer, Team Cherry, andBlasphemous 2’s developer, The Game Kitchen, now have a huge decision to make about the next move. The main question lies in whether both studios should continue with third installments or if these developers should introduce a new IP to their rosters.SilksongandBlasphemous 2hold the future of their franchises at the moment, and that’s sure to be a daunting yet thrilling position.
Blasphemous 2 is at a Crossroads
Following its fantastic first installment,Blasphemous 2launched to overwhelmingly positive reviews, bringing an even stronger Metroidvania experience to gamers.Blasphemous 2is a great balance of horror and action, and it’s understandable how many players could be left wanting more. The Game Kitchen has now established itself as a highly capable developer, so there is a huge choice to make about what game it wants to produce next.
On the one hand, it would be fantastic to seea thirdBlasphemouschapterbrought to life, but on the other hand, it would be intriguing to see The Game Kitchen take a swing at an all-new story.Blasphemousis a stand-out franchise in the Metroidvania genre, which would be sad to see end. However, The Game Kitchen could potentially have something even more unique up its sleeve.
What Silksong’s Development Woes Could Mean For the Franchise
SilksongandBlasphemous 2have the same choice to make but for different reasons.Blasphemous 2could continue its franchise right now, butSilksong’s long development coulddictate Team Cherry’s next move. At this rate, a thirdHollow Knightgame would be at least a generous five years away afterSilksong. That means it’s up to Team Cherry to decide whether it wants to pursue a simpler IP that could be developed quicker or invest fully in aSilksongfollow-up, regardless of how long or ambitious that development phase would turn out to be.
Silksong’s absence from recent industry showcases is disappointing, but there is still the chance of a long-awaited update at this year’s Game Awards.
When it comes toHollow Knight’s franchise,Silksong’s extended productionhas become the biggest talking point about the game. Delays and lack of updates aside, Team Cherry has a lot of weight on its shoulders for just a three-person development team, so it’s important to remember the hard work being put into the game. Crafting a follow-up to such a beloved game likeHollow Knightis no easy task, but the team is hopefully considering what moves to make next whenSilksongmakes its eventual debut.
Both games are some of the best indie releases of this generation, and they both deserve to live on. Still, it also may be the better choice for Team Cherry and The Game Kitchen to go back to the drawing board for something fresh.
