Hollow Knight: Silksong developer Team Cherry has shared insights on the game's difficulty balance and modding in a recent interview. The studio expressed support for player mods while emphasizing their design philosophy. They also confirmed ongoing work on new content, including potential DLC, without specifying timelines.
Difficulty and Modding Discussion
In an interview with Bloomberg, Team Cherry co-founders William Pellen and Ari Gibson discussed the challenges surrounding Hollow Knight: Silksong's difficulty since its September 2025 release. Pellen stated, 'The fact that people are modding it is totally fine,' acknowledging mods that adjust variables like damage and health. The developers aim to create an immersive world where players mitigate difficulty through exploration, learning, or alternative paths rather than sliders or easy modes.
Gibson explained, 'Years of the game's development is us in there creating new options for ourselves and then for the players. Hitting those walls and going, "Well this is difficult," and we potentially would be roadblocked, so let's find other ways around.' This approach, they said, keeps focus within the game's world. Pellen added that avoiding meta options like difficulty adjustments forces considerate design, and the team is 'largely' happy with the current balance after post-launch tweaks.
Examples include the 'Last Judge' boss, which can be skipped via a circuitous route for later return with better preparation. Community support has also grown, with players helping others navigate tough sections.
Future Content and DLC
Team Cherry confirmed they are developing more for Silksong, pursuing their philosophy that can extend timelines, as seen when the project grew from DLC to a full game. Gibson noted, 'We will make sure to deliver on all of our obligations,' referencing teased elements like the Steel Assassin Sharpe character, sidelined for polish but planned for reintroduction.
The studio is considering updates of varying sizes, similar to Hollow Knight's Lifeblood or Godmaster. Pellen said, 'We're still in this world, thinking about stuff to present to people.' While remaining coy on details and release windows, Gibson affirmed, 'Yes, we're continuing to work on the game, we're pursuing the things that excite us.' More communication is expected soon, with the team happy with the game's current state post-updates.