Since its long-awaited launch on September 4, Silksong has taken the gaming world by storm, quickly cementing itself as one of 2025’s biggest releases. In under a week, more than five million players have already jumped in. Still, not everything has been smooth sailing, as some players have raised concerns about the game’s difficulty, which the developers closely monitor.
Still Hard, But Easier Early Game
Team Cherry has released the first significant major update for Hollow Knight: Silksong, making the early game just a bit easier. Don’t worry, it’s not enough to erase the challenge. But it raises the question: why tone things down only a week after launch?
The answer’s pretty straightforward. While the game’s debut has been a huge success, a portion of the community has been pushing back against its steep difficulty curve. Players took to social media to vent, and the concerns quickly gained traction.
That’s where update 1.0.28470 comes in. The patch aims to smooth out some of the game’s rough edges, making the early hours a little more forgiving. The difficulty remains intact, built to push your skills to the limit. But the early game will definitely be less daunting.
As part of the update, both Moorwing and Sister Splinter are getting a “slight difficulty reduction”. Exactly what that means isn’t clear yet. But it likely indicates adjustments to their damage output. Early-game bosses have been hitting especially hard. Many players felt that the punishment felt unfair from the start.
A Response to the Community’s Frustration?
Much like in the original Hollow Knight, enemies and bosses in Silksong are capable of unleashing devastating attacks. Meaning they can shred your health bar in seconds. The sticking point for many players, though, is that these punishing encounters show up much earlier in the journey this time around.
That design choice has fueled debate over whether Silksong’s balance is truly fair or simply too unforgiving. And with the game’s massive player base, those conversations are louder than ever. Unlike the first Hollow Knight, which launched to a relatively modest audience, Silksong is shaping up to be one of 2025’s biggest success stories.
The frustration over Silksong’s difficulty reached a point where one player even released a mod addressing this issue. It prevents all enemy and boss attacks from dealing more than a single pip of damage per hit. That move sparked plenty of debate: Is the challenge really so extreme? Do players truly need to rely on unofficial fixes to enjoy the game?
It’s a scenario that recalls the reaction to Shadow of the Erdtree, the Elden Ring DLC. While most players praised the expansion, a vocal minority criticised its punishing difficulty. This prompted a patch that significantly reduced the challenge. Could Silksong be heading down a similar path?
On the flip side, some players are thrilled by the chance to crank up the challenge with Steel Soul mode. So, what kind of gamer are you: someone who relishes a challenge, or someone who taps out when it feels unfair?
You can check out the official patch notes and even dive into the game yourself before the update lands mid-next week.
