Hell is Us Dev Criticizes Silksong’s Surprise Release for Overshadowing Indies
Shadow drop sparks controversy in the indie scene
The surprise launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong has shaken the gaming industry this month, but not everyone is celebrating. Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, Creative Director at Rogue Factor, expressed frustration that Silksong’s shadow drop has left smaller games struggling for visibility — including his own studio’s new project, Hell is Us. He called Team Cherry’s decision “a little cruel” to other developers.
Silksong’s ripple effect on Hell is Us and indie games
Speaking on the Friends Per Second podcast, Jacques-Belletête compared Silksong to being the “GTA 6 of the indie world,” saying that releasing it without warning created waves that drowned out other titles launching in the same window. While Hell is Us ultimately stuck to its original release date, he admitted that there was heated debate with publisher Nacon about whether to delay.
“We’re still bigger than the average indie studio and we have a publisher backing us, so we’ll weather this storm,” he explained. But he noted that delaying would have meant refunding preorders and restructuring systems — a costly and difficult move for the team.
A crowded release window
The creative director also pointed out that Silksong wasn’t the only competitor making things tough, with Cronos: The New Dawn from Bloober Team also launching nearby. He added that in today’s market, there are almost no “quiet release windows” left for indie developers, unlike in the past. Instead, game launches now face relentless competition year-round.
Final thoughts
Silksong’s long-awaited shadow drop may have thrilled fans, but it also highlighted the challenges indie studios face when competing against giant releases. For Rogue Factor, sticking to the original launch date was a risky but necessary choice. The debate raises bigger questions about how surprise launches, while exciting for players, may disrupt the delicate balance of visibility and survival for smaller games.
