There is no denying that the hype prepare for Hole Knight: Silksong is in contrast to something we have ever seen for an indie sport. Within the days main as much as its launch, a number of different small studios delayed their video games to remain out of Silksong’s manner, one thing typically reserved to create space for the Grand Theft Autos of the gaming world. The sequel’s launch led to Steam and the Nintendo eShop crashing (the shortage of preorders performed a task right here, after all) and noticed the metroidvania sport prime out at 587,000 concurrent gamers on Valve’s platform alone. The sport additionally launched on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, Swap, and Swap 2, plus it is obtainable on Sport Cross. With that in thoughts, the entire participant numbers for Silksong are large, showcasing that the web memes and anticipation for the sport to point out up at occasions had been true indicators of gross sales success.
All of this stated, it is begun to really feel unlikely that Silksong’s launch will ever be matched by one other indie sport. However as Yoda stated: There’s one other.
One indie sport that might take the complete gaming world by storm is Haunted Chocolatier, the follow-up to Stardew Valley. Positive, it isn’t a direct sequel to the perennially fashionable farming simulator (that could possibly be within the playing cards ultimately, although). Nevertheless, Haunted Chocolatier shares an identical visible presentation and will supply a bigger world than Stardew Valley, in line with creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone. The RPG will see individuals dwelling in a haunted fort and making chocolate, which requires gathering elements. It is a “city sport” like Stardew Valley, per Barone, although Haunted Chocolatier will lean extra into the action-RPG style. Oh, and it could simply be set in the identical world as Stardew Valley.
Haunted Chocolatier was introduced in late 2021, so the wait has already been years lengthy at this point–similar to Silksong. Barone has stated the sport will give attention to thriller and whimsy, including to the attract for an viewers that loves discovering secrets and techniques on their very own and thru on-line communities. However the obvious cause Haunted Chocolatier shall be an enormous occasion when it launches is discovered just by glancing at Stardew Valley’s concurrent gamers on SteamDB. The farming simulator has averaged 100,000 gamers over the previous month and, regardless of releasing again in 2016, peaked with over 235,000 individuals enjoying on the similar time simply final 12 months.
When evaluating the 2, it shortly turns into evident that Hole Knight does not swim in the identical waters for Steam concurrent gamers as Stardew Valley. Not solely does Stardew Valley have numerous gamers, it has numerous engaged players–ones that maintain coming again to the sport and assist it preserve its excessive reputation. It is probably an unfair comparability, as the previous is strictly solo whereas the latter has co-op multiplayer. However it’s additionally potential that Stardew Valley merely has an even bigger fanbase, which might catapult Haunted Chocolatier to even larger heights than what we simply witnessed with Silksong.
There’s one different level to contemplate as properly: Stardew Valley is the best-rated sport of all time on Steam.Positive, platform availability might reduce its full affect, however Haunted Chocolatier continues to be primed for a monstrous debut. And if it follows swimsuit with Stardew Valley, it might very simply begin on PC earlier than ultimately coming to nearly each platform, together with cellular units. Oh, and as for trade affect, it is price citing that Devolver Digital co-founder Nigel Lowrie has already advised IGN that he displays Haunted Chocolatier in case they should alter launch plans round it.
Nevertheless, there’s additionally an argument that the subsequent Silksong cannot be predicted. Nobody ever anticipated Hole Knight to be a phenomenon–just try this decade-old Reddit put up in regards to the sport for affirmation. Moreover, a few of the most well-liked Steam video games of all time seemingly landed out of nowhere. Palworld has seen over 32 million gamers since popping out in early 2024, a mind-boggling quantity. Had been you conscious that there’s a sport known as Banana on Steam that sees about 100,000 gamers each day? Positive, it being free-to-play definitely balloons these numbers, however not many individuals would count on a sport about clicking on a chunk of fruit to create that form of long-term engagement. The prospect to gather a uncommon banana and probably promote it for precise cash clearly has its attraction.
One other latest instance of this phenomenon is Peak, a co-op climbing sport that sees gamers working collectively to ascend a mountain. Fascinatingly sufficient, it is the other of Haunted Chocolatier and Silksong from a developmental perspective. Peak got here collectively throughout a month-long sport jam, although co-developer Aggro Crab had beforehand pitched the idea.
The one factor that appears sure is that the indie house will proceed to shock us with distinctive experiences which may take years to land in our arms, or probably seem nearly magically out of skinny air. Possibly Silksong is a singular second, one thing that may’t be replicated. Or perhaps it is one other landmark occasion that shall be surpassed ultimately, however not forgotten by those that skilled it.
