The indie game development community is in a worried state. With Hollow Knight: Silksong finally approaching release, smaller developers are second-guessing their pricing strategies, marketing plans, and even launch dates.
A solo developer working on Lone Fungus, another metroidvania, recently took to Twitter asking whether he should price his game lower than Silksong to compete.
His anxiety is understandable but is it really all that worrying?
X / Twitter post
You can wishlist his game here on Steam.
The Pricing Panic is Real
The developer’s concern reflects a broader indie community fear: how do you compete with a highly anticipated sequel from a beloved franchise?
When Team Cherry’s masterpiece launches alongside your passion project, it’s natural to feel like David facing Goliath. Other developers releasing metroidvanias on the same day, like Adventures of Samsara, are grappling with similar questions.
But this fear-based pricing strategy reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of how gamers actually buy games.
My thoughts
As marketing expert Chris Zukowski explains in his “How to Market a Game” blog, big game releases rarely impact indie sales as much as developers think. The key insight? Purchases are based on emotion, not whether players will actually play the game immediately.
Most players don’t play games right when they buy them. They purchase based on excitement, intrigue, and the promise of future enjoyment.
A gamer buying Silksong might also grab that interesting-looking metroidvania on discount, telling themselves they’ll play it “right after” they finish the main event.
This consumer behavior creates opportunity, not competition.
The Starfield Release
There was another indie game Chillquarium going up against a big title back then a AAA game they decided not to change their release data and what happened was they got sales because there was no other indie games releasing alongside starfield.
This is a good strategy means that steam will if there is enough interestes on steam push the game into the “New and Upcoming” Catergory. So they got a bit more visibility during release.
Marketing strategies for Silksong Release Day
Leverage the Moment
Use the metroidvania conversation happening around Silksong to showcase what makes your game unique within the genre.
Run a Parody Trailer in the vein of silksong or the zeitgeist (Spirit of the times)
I remembered years ago when death stranding was coming out another game snow runner made a trailer in the same style as death stranding deliveries.
Some other games are also running their own silksong like paradoies since they release on the same day. Look at Devolver Baby Steps making a paradoy of Silksong style.
Do Demos
Game demos are something Chris mentions to have its a good way to get wishlists on steam.
Let your game speak for itself. Demos convert wishlist browsers into actual players and give people a reason to choose your game beyond just price.
Stand Confident in Your Release
If its something to learn from this, is that being worried about competing with Silksong is not good for your game.
If your game is good enough to warrant comparison to one of gaming’s most anticipated sequels, you’re already succeeding.
Price it fairly, market it creatively, and trust that the gaming community has room for multiple great metroidvanias.
The biggest threat to your indie game isn’t Silksong—it’s the self-doubt that leads to underselling your own work.
Don’t let the giants make you feel small. The gaming world is vast enough for both titans and hidden gems to thrive.
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