Since Silksong’s suprise launch date reveal last week, I’ve noticed at least four games scrambling to move their release dates, and other ones like PEAK acknowledging “hey, guess you’ll be abandoning us in 2 weeks.” Everyone is moving out of the way; it’s an absolutely hype juggernaut of a game that a lot of people have been waiting for.
But Polygon raises an interesting point… is it fair for them to bellyflop into the release schedule with so little notice for other indie games trying to find their moment?
So…should Silksong schedule it’s release date around every other indie game to be released? I doubt people would ask the same thing of a shadow drop from Ubisoft or Bethesda.
You don’t want to release your Indie game the same weekend that EA drops BF6 or Take Two finally launches GTA6 (you probably want to keep at least 2 months of space around that one and then again when the PC release drops 2-5 years down the road)
Not, but knowing your best window to drop at makes sense. Besides most shadow drops from U or B aren’t well established/anticipated IP’s
If the main argument to play a game was ‘I guess nothing else is coming out’ the bigger issue is lack of readons to actually want to play it.
Bad take. Games rely heavily on hype and being seen. If a game releases at the same time as a highly anticipated game, it misses the opening window. The amount of people who would then return to purchase it is a fraction compared to the amount that do on release due to hype.
The game could be great, and be buried just due to its release cycle.
I don’t think there’s a matter of ‘fair’ here. Holding off a completed product just because they’re trying to avoid landing their release date near a bunch of games just means the game will almost never release. Especially since we all knew it was coming at some point. (Also, Silksong has backers they’re obligated to do the best for, so it’s kinda in their best interest to get it out asap) ANYONE with any amount of reason could understand a dev wanting to move their release back. And if your game’s playerbase isn’t alright with that, then… you don’t need… Read more »
I absolutely HATE to agree with Polygon on anything, but I think it was a bad move by Team Cherry to not only keep the release date secret for as long as they did, but also to make it so close after its own announcement.
In their defence, Silksong specifically had a huge problem when they first announced it that everyone started complaining about the too long release target. They already had direct evidence that the fanbase were going to act crazy about any info they gave them.
Yeah… I don’t exactly see the benefit for mostly shadow dropping that game so quick, especially with the hype for it. They are pulling off the bandaid quick, but what for?
I’d guess that after so much waiting and delay already, making it another long wait would only lead to more frustration, and probably a lot of doubt on whether it’s actually real or just another optimistic schedule. This way it’s a clear ‘the game actually is coming’.
No, it’s rude as hell. They should have given a few months.
Well, it was worth a shot, Tim.
not a single normal person is doing this, ethan. I mean, tim.
At least five game studios have done this so far.
I meant, being bold enough to announce this to your wife. Sometimes I think I’m brave enough but compared to this I’m a coward.
Just wait till Half Life 3 drops. There will be a measurable hit to the economy.
No kidding – HL2 is the only game I pre-scheduled time off for ever.
nope, most of us will be retired in 2055.
bold of you to expect you’ll be done in a week
I just wish they had given me a months instead of 2 weeks, I need to take time off to beat this before the new mode in Nightreign.
Super hot take here but I don’t get the hype for Hollow Knight. It was a pretty average platformer with excessive backtracking even for a metroidvania. I had never played a game so tedious to traverse.
I even saw one studio create a cute art piece to accompany their announcement of their delay for their own game release. Little Witch in the Woods made it pretty funny.
Ooof, linking to polygon as “interesting” in 2025…