Pricing analyst says Silksong should have cost more than $20

Pricing specialist Cassia Curran said Hollow Knight: Silksong should have launched above its $20 price point, arguing that a higher figure would have set a better benchmark for other independent studios. She made the comments in an interview with The Game Business.

Curran said she wished the game had been priced closer to $24.99. In her view, a higher price for a title of Silksong's profile would have helped many studios making comparable games.

She maintains a tool that lets developers analyze successful pricing models on Valve's Steam storefront. According to Curran, the indie market faces considerable downward pricing pressure, particularly from low-priced co-op games.

An unusually cheap sequel

Team Cherry released the original Hollow Knight in 2017 at a very low price. Silksong arrived at $20 after a production cycle of roughly seven years, with a roughly 30-hour single-player campaign and improved production values — only $5 more than the 2017 game.

The sequel became one of the most popular games on Steam in 2025 and a strong contender for game of the year against AAA titles. Elsewhere in the market, the $40 Napoleonic Soulslike Valor Mortis has already broken even on its initial sales, while Star Wars Zero Company, priced at $50 on PC, has reached 1 million units sold.

Earlier this year, Tribute Games' Scott Pilgrim EX launched at $30, drew complaints from many Steam users over the price and struggled in sales on the platform. Months later, Yacht Club Games released Mina the Hollower at $20 and appeared to find more success as a result.