The price of Silksong is a gift to fans and a problem for indies

The announcement that Hollow Knight: Silksong will cost only US$19.99 took the public by surprise and filled fans with enthusiasm. Team Cherry kept the price accessible, a decision that was celebrated as a gift to the gaming community. However, the low price brought concerns to the independent game market as a whole.

Developers from different studios claim that this strategy could distort the public's expectations. They fear that the price of Hollow Knight: Silksong could pressure other studios to lower the prices of their own games, even when they don't have the same structure or recognition. For many creators, this dynamic could become unsustainable, harming the viability of new projects in the indie scene.

Team Cherry is in a unique position. They already have a hugely successful game, a massive fan base, and the extended development time may have been funded by the profit from the first game, allowing them to forgo a higher price. Most independent studios do not have this type of financial security or audience, and a drop in prices could be devastating for their businesses.

The case of Hollow Knight: Silksong highlights the tension between accessibility for players and sustainability for developers. While the public benefits from the low price, in the long run, this could be a strategy that negatively impacts the future of innovation in the indie market.