image: Silksong
Silksong is here. After years of silence, Team Cherry just dropped it. No long PR tour, no “exclusive influencer previews,” no handshakes with critics. Just boom — it’s out.
And wow, the noise.
Critics crying they didn’t get early access. Influencers whining because they couldn’t prep their “launch day hot takes.” Other indie devs saying Team Cherry should have warned them so they wouldn’t release near Silksong. Analysts clutching pearls about how “this isn’t how the industry works.”
And all I can think is: Why the hell should Team Cherry care?
They didn’t owe critics a head start. They didn’t owe influencers early keys. They didn’t owe other devs a calendar notice. They owed us, the players. The ones who waited. The ones who cared. And they delivered.
The $20 Slap
And then that price. Twenty bucks.
At a time when $70 is being shoved down our throats as the new normal, Team Cherry just said: nah. Here’s a full, massive, polished game for $20.
Industry people called it reckless. Said it “devalues games.” Said it sets bad expectations.
What it really did? It set a standard for respect.
Because players noticed. They didn’t feel exploited. They felt seen.
The Noise Doesn’t Matter
Critics, influencers, analysts — they’ll always have something to say. But none of them are your audience. The player is.
Silence is stronger than hype. Team Cherry ignored the endless drip-feed marketing model. They kept their heads down and then dropped the game when it was ready. That hit harder than any trailer campaign ever could.
Pricing is philosophy. Twenty dollars wasn’t about undercutting. It was about inclusion. Accessibility. Respect. And in return, they sold more, reached more, and earned trust.
Small is powerful. Three people, some stubborn patience, no outside masters. And they shook the entire industry.
For Myself, As an Indie Dev
This is the reminder I needed:
- Stop worrying about what critics or other devs think.
- Stop chasing “visibility” with endless noise.
- Start putting players first.
- Start valuing trust over hype.
- Don’t be afraid to break the so-called “rules.”
The industry will always complain when someone breaks the pattern. Critics, influencers, analysts — they want the machine to keep turning the same way, because they benefit from it. But Team Cherry proved you don’t have to play their game.
Final Thought
Silksong is more than a sequel. It’s a lesson. A giant middle finger to the industry machine. And a love letter to players.
For me, sitting here dreaming about my own little game, it’s proof that maybe I don’t need permission. I don’t need to fit the industry’s calendar. I just need to make something honest, take the time it needs, and deliver it with respect.
Because in the end, the only voices that matter are the players who care enough to play. The rest? Just noise.
