Hell is Us Director Critiques Silksong’s Two-Week Announcement as “A Bit Callous”

The Impact of Hollow Knight: Silksong’s Launch on Indie Game Releases

The long-awaited release of Hollow Knight: Silksong, which occurred just 11 days ago, sparked considerable excitement in the gaming community. In anticipation of its launch, several indie developers made the strategic decision to delay their own game releases to minimize competition with this highly coveted title. Notably, Hell is Us chose to launch concurrently with Silksong on September 4, 2025, illustrating the confidence and resilience of its developers.

Reflections from Hell is Us Director on Co-Launching with Silksong

Following the simultaneous launch, Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, the director of Hell is Us and a leader at Rogue Factor, shared his thoughts during a recent episode of the Friends Per Second podcast, as covered by TWIV. He acknowledged that while Team Cherry is free to choose their release date, he found it a bit inconsiderate to “shadow drop”such a significant title, likening it to the anticipation surrounding the upcoming GTA VI.

“I mean, they’re allowed to do what they did… But it’s hard for me not to say, like, when you know you’re that big, I think a shadow drop is a bit like wow.”- Jonathan Jacques-Belletête

Rogue Factor’s Considerations Ahead of Launch

Jacques-Belletête confirmed that discussions occurred within Rogue Factor and their publisher, Nacon, regarding a potential delay for Hell is Us. While not the primary factor, the logistical challenge of processing refunds for pre-orders was a crucial consideration. He elaborated on the complexities of such a decision:

“The real pain in the ass is that you have to refund your pre-orders… now you need to rebuild them.”- Jonathan Jacques-Belletête

Ultimately, Hell is Us maintained its release schedule, and Jacques-Belletête expressed satisfaction with that decision. He noted Rogue Factor’s size compared to other indie developers who chose to delay their launches, reinforcing the team’s belief that they could withstand the competition from Silksong.

Market Dynamics and Future Implications

While exact sales figures were not available at the time, Jacques-Belletête speculated that Silksong had a noticeable influence on Hell is Us’s launch performance. He pointed out the challenge indie games face in securing a viable release window free from competition with larger, established titles:

“Getting a window where you’re pretty much alone is almost impossible… It’s just constant madness.”- Jonathan Jacques-Belletête

As sales reports for September are anticipated, it will be intriguing to see how Hell is Us ranks alongside Silksong in the charts. Despite the competitive landscape, the gaming industry lacks formal regulations dictating launch strategies, stirring a debate on whether developers owe each other a courtesy of timely release announcements.

A Matter of Business Strategy

Team Cherry’s approach to releasing Hollow Knight: Silksong aimed to maximize visibility on its launch date, a move echoed by Rogue Factor. This raises questions about the nature of competition in the game industry: is this behavior callous, or simply a standard business strategy in a crowded market?

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