Summary
Team Cherry has revealed that the incredibly popularHollow Knightwas almost a “very small” game. WhileHollow Knightturned out to be a Metroidvania brimming with content, the developers have revealed that it would not have been the case without the help of gamers.
While many fans have their sights set on the upcomingHollow Knight: Silksong, the original 2017 game helped make Team Cherry a popular name in the industry. The game tasked players with exploring theunderground kingdom of Hallownest, encountering numerous bizarre and often deadly bugs along the way. Featuring tight controls, impressive world design, and an intriguing story, the game gained massive success, becoming one of the best-selling Metroidvanias. In addition to the base game, Team Cherry released several DLCs after launch, adding even more content for fans to check out. However, new details reveal that the game could have turned out differently.
As part of a recently published 2018 interview withSource Gaming, Ari Gibson and William Pellen from Team Cherry talked about the development ofHollow Knight. Specifically, the developers discussed the original funding goals for the game and how they impacted the planned scope of the title. According to Gibson, the funding goal for the project was set at AU$35,000, which coincided with the small scale planned for the game. “It was really like a small thing,” Gibson said. Pellen added that the game was intended to only be “like two hours or something.” In addition, the developers said they had considered dropping the funding goal by $5,000 because of how small of a game they were planning.
Kickstarter Funding Allowed Team Cherry to Expand the Scale of Hollow Knight
Fortunately, this relatively small-scale plan for the game changed once funding started coming in. The developers revealed that the success of the Kickstarter campaign freed them up to add more to the game, increasing the scale of the project. In fact, Gibson said that fan funding, along with some help from Indie Fund and their own financial situations, allowed Team Cherry to work on the game for two years,helping turnHollow Knightinto the successful Metroidvaniathat gamers are familiar with today.
It is interesting to consider what the game would have looked like on a much smaller scale and what parts might never have been added. It can take over 20 hours tofinish the main story inHollow Knight, with completionists needing to sink much more time into the game. Thanks to the funding, Team Cherry was able to add many unique areas and exciting boss fights that might never have made it into the game otherwise.
WhileHollow Knightwas originally going to be a small game, the sequel looks to be an ambitious project.Hollow Knight: Silksonghas been in developmentfor more than six years, and the few looks players have had of the game have been well-received. Unfortunately, the release date for the game has not been revealed. However, a Nintendo Direct revealed a 2025 release window, meaning fans might be able to play the next game from Team Cherry sometime this year.
Hollow Knight
WHERE TO PLAY
Forge your own path in Hollow Knight! An epic action adventure through a vast, ruined kingdom of insects and heroes. Hollow Knight is a classically styled 2D action adventure across a vast interconnected world. Explore twisting caverns, ancient cities and deadly wastes; battle tainted creatures and befriend bizarre bugs; and solve ancient mysteries at the kingdom’s heart.Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward. Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favourites and make your journey unique! An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.Over 140 enemies! 30 epic bosses! Face ferocious beasts and vanquish ancient knights on your quest through the kingdom.Chart your journey with extensive mapping tools. Buy compasses, quills, maps and pins to enhance your understanding of Hollow Knight’s many twisting landscapes.A haunting, intimate score accompanies the player on their journey, composed by Christopher Larkin.
