Understand how Team Cherry created the world of Hollow Knight

After about seven years of production, the release of Hollow Knight: Silksong allowed Team Cherry developers to finally share details of their creative process. The long wait, which generated speculation and anxiety in the community, was, according to the team, a period of enjoyable and fun work. In a recent interview with ACMI, Team Cherry revealed that the development experience was so enjoyable that time passed quickly, thanks to a design philosophy that prioritizes world-building over a linear level structure.

The co-directors William Pellen and Ari Gibson explained that Team Cherry adopts an organic approach to design. They establish a work plan, but allow flexibility for new ideas to emerge along the way, even if it means changing the course of the project. Gibson compared the process to writing, stating that when the author knows their characters well, they can "take control" and guide the story.

"We try to be methodical - we decide which area we are working on that month, and we move forward with it. So we have a plan - but the plan is never so set in stone that it can't withstand a change of course two weeks later - or two months later, or two years later."

Pellen clarified the difference between their approach and traditional level design, using the example of Mario. Where a game may focus on placing platforms and enemies in an empty space, Team Cherry starts with a concept of space and fills it in naturally.

"If you're trying to build a Mario level, you might take an empty space and think, 'Oh, should there be some platforms here? Should there be a certain type of enemy?' But if you just start thinking - well, it's a cave with a lake on the left or it's a crumbling tower, suddenly the space design at the micro level is much easier."

This philosophy resulted in a cohesive and interconnected world, Pharloom. The design of areas like "The Citadel," the main location of Act 2, served as a guide for creating the rest of the world, with fragments of the sacred city scattered throughout the game.

"We're thinking about the Citadel on top of the world, and what's around it - what would you expect to find, where could it lead you, and who could you meet there? What could they ask you to do, and if you did, what would that mean? And where would that leave you?"

Gibson reinforced the idea, stating that world-building is much like building a character: the team lays the foundations, and the world "comes to life," suggesting what should come next as if it had its own will.

"Building a game world is very much like that - we lay the foundations, and as they become clearer, the world suggests what else will exist. So we just follow all these little ideas to their conclusion."

Team Cherry's creative process for Hollow Knight: Silksong demonstrates that long-term development can be a positive and enjoyable experience for creators, especially when the focus is on building a vibrant and organic world. The final result, which took about seven years, reflects this dedication.