Hollow Knight: Silksong announces Sea of Sorrow, its first free DLC

The Australian studio Team Cherry has confirmed the release of Sea of Sorrow, the first free downloadable content for Hollow Knight: Silksong. The announcement was made on December 15, 2025, through the studio’s official blog, just three months after the game’s launch on September 4, 2025.

The DLC will arrive sometime in 2026, with no specific date confirmed yet, and will be available at no additional cost for all Silksong players across all platforms.

What is Sea of Sorrow

Sea of Sorrow is an expansion that broadens Hornet’s adventure with a clear focus on marine environments. According to official information, the DLC will take players through areas inspired by salt-stricken seas, with exploration both on the surface and underwater.

The content will include:

• New areas to explore
• New bosses
• Additional tools and mechanics
• More story within the world of Pharloom

Team Cherry has stated that, for now, specific details will remain under wraps, with more information to be shared shortly before release.

The teaser trailer and its reception

Alongside the announcement, the studio released a short and atmospheric teaser trailer on YouTube. The video shows Hornet in aquatic settings, with rain, waves, snow, and underwater sections. There is no dialogue, only ambient music with a melancholic tone.

The trailer quickly reached millions of views and sparked strong reactions across social media and forums such as Reddit. Part of the community highlighted the possible arrival of water-based mechanics and references to content that did not make it into the base game.

 

The current state of Silksong

The announcement of Sea of Sorrow comes during a period of major success for Hollow Knight: Silksong. The game has surpassed 7 million physical copies sold, in addition to millions of players through Xbox Game Pass. At launch, several digital stores reported significant traffic spikes.

This growth has also strengthened the community, which has been actively creating artwork, guides, mods, and ongoing discussions since release.

Reactions and expectations

Initial reception of the DLC has been largely positive. Many players welcomed the free content and pointed to Team Cherry’s track record, having previously released several free DLCs for the original Hollow Knight.

Specialized outlets such as Polygon, IGN, and Kotaku noted that Hollow Knight: Silksong has firmly established itself after years of development and now shows a clear and active post-launch content plan.

With Sea of Sorrow, Team Cherry reinforces its commitment to the Hollow Knight universe, focusing on deeper exploration, new challenges, and an expanded vision of Pharloom that will continue through 2026.