As a massive fan who's poured hundreds of hours into Hallownest, I've been living and breathing the incredible success of Hollow Knight: Silksong this year. It's wild to think that a small Australian studio, Team Cherry, with just a handful of core developers, has created one of 2026's most defining games. Since its launch, it's sold millions of copies, all while maintaining that beautiful sub-$20 price point. That success has given them a freedom you rarely see—the ability to launch massive, free expansions that feel like full-blown DLC most other studios would charge for. They truly are one of a kind, which made their recent decision to skip The Game Awards ceremony so fascinating.

So, why weren't they there? 🤔 It seems the team believed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was destined to sweep the awards. Co-founder William Pellen even said as much in an interview, calling Expedition 33 "exceptional and broadly palatable," while acknowledging Silksong sits on that "knife's edge" of love-it-or-hate-it design. Honestly, I get it. Why fly across the globe just to sit in a crowded room and watch another game win? Still, part of me wishes they'd been there to celebrate with everyone. The vibe was definitely missing their presence.

Let's break down the night. Silksong was nominated in SIX categories:

• 🏆 Best Game Direction

• 🏆 Best Independent Game

• 🏆 Best Score and Music

• 🏆 Game of the Year

• 🏆 Player's Voice

• 🏆 Best Action Adventure

In four of those categories (Direction, Indie, Score, GOTY), they went head-to-head with—and lost to—the stunning Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Player's Voice was ultimately won by Wuthering Waves. It was a tough night for Hornet stans! But here's the kicker: Silksong WAS the favorite for Best Action Adventure. And guess what? They won it! 🎉

The moment was both iconic and a little awkward. Host Geoff Keighley, holding the award with no one from Team Cherry on stage, looked into the camera and said, "See, you guys won!" You could feel the mix of celebration and "where are they?" in the room. As one of the biggest critical and cultural hits of the year, I'm sure Keighley would have loved to hand that trophy over personally. Tickets are offered to nominees, and financially, the trip was surely doable for the studio. So, the mystery deepens.

My personal theory? It's not some deep-seated beef with TGA (though it's fun to imagine this indie giant giving the whole show a cool, silent shrug 🥶). It's more about Team Cherry's DNA. They're a small, focused team. Sending two key developers on a grueling international trip for a ceremony where they might win one award out of six? The jetlag alone is a nightmare! Imagine sitting next to Hideo Kojima (who also attended but didn't win) in a loud room while your body thinks it's 3 AM. Sometimes, the juice just isn't worth the squeeze.

And then, things got even more iconic. Mere DAYS after The Game Awards, Team Cherry dropped the announcement for a massive new expansion: Sea of Sorrow. No fancy stage reveal, no orchestral music swelling behind a trailer. Just a direct-to-players announcement on their own terms. Keighley probably would have loved to premiere that at the show. They likely would have given Team Cherry a speech slot after their win. But nope. Team Cherry did it their way. Why? Because Silksong is now a behemoth. It doesn't need the TGA audience to reach its players, and it certainly doesn't need to play by the traditional marketing rulebook (or pay the high slot rates the show allegedly commands).

Looking ahead to 2026, Silksong is poised to dominate the conversation all over again with Sea of Sorrow. This expansion is going to be huge. In the end, maybe the truth is simple: Team Cherry is a small, brilliant team that would rather spend their energy crafting unforgettable experiences for us than navigating the spectacle of award shows. We might never know the full story, but in my head, the silly, wholesome rivalry between the humble Aussie devs and the glitzy award show will live on forever. They build worlds on their own terms, and honestly? We're all better for it. Can't wait to dive back into the haunting, beautiful world they've created. The wait for Sea of Sorrow starts now! 🕷️⚔️