Update 8/11: Unfortunately, Hollow Knight: Silksong was not at the Nintendo Indie World Showcase.
Original story follows.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche discussed "eternal recurrence" in a few works, including the 1882 book The Gay Science; he posited a hypothetical idea that "all events in the world repeat themselves in the same sequence through an eternal series of cycles," according to a 2017 breakdown by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. A more colloquial twist about those not learning from history being condemned to repeat it was offered by 20th century Spanish philosopher George Santayana. Video game enthusiasts looking forward to Hollow Knight: Silksong are likely aware of history repeating itself.
An August 11, 2021 Nintendo Indie World Showcase was announced via Nintendo of America's Twitter this morning, promising "roughly 20 minutes" of information. Comments under the post were predictable, with some wondering if there would be announcements for AAA games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at the event, and others asking about high-profile indies - namely Hollow Knight: Silksong. The sequel to Team Cherry's Hollow Knight was announced in 2019, but little information has come out since, so it's a common refrain for anxious fans to ask about the game before seemingly every announced event (either genuinely or, at this point, for the meme).
There's nothing to indicate Hollow Knight: Silksong will appear at the August 11 showcase as of this writing, so it seems fans asking about the game are setting themselves up to repeat the cycle of disappointment seen in numerous events over the last two years. However, based on previous patterns for Nintendo and Team Cherry, there's still hope for some kind of update.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Is A Showcase Contender
Team Cherry has not commented about the upcoming Indie World Showcase on its social media channels, and ironically this is perhaps the best indication its game may appear. The developer has not been shy about dissuading its fans' hopes in the past, notably when Team Cherry confirmed Hollow Knight: Silksong was skipping E3 2021 earlier this year. If Silksong were to appear at an Indie World Showcase, chances are it would receive a big spotlight given popular fervor around the game. Silksong could even be a "one last thing" reveal akin to Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals from the April 14 Indie World Showcase.
Nintendo is also increasingly careful with building up too much undue hype via social media. Some fans of the video game giant are prone to meet disappointment with verbal backlash online, even if their anticipation was based on rumors (for instance, with the Nintendo Switch OLED model announcement this July). During the initial height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Nintendo began to announce games like Pikmin 3 Deluxe and Paper Mario: The Origami King via Twitter. However, when it announced a Nintendo Treehouse Livestream focused on Paper Mario and a then-unknown game in a new franchise by WayForward, the company followed up so fans knew that game was based on a third-party property; later revealed to be Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia.
Hollow Knight Fans Shouldn't Get Their Hopes Up
With all that being said, the aforementioned "evidence" is largely pointing to Silksong being just a possibility for tomorrow's Indie World Showcase. Nothing has been confirmed, and given Team Cherry was one of many developers who decided not to appear at E3 2021, there's a good chance it may not be at a place to show off its upcoming title. It's simply fair to say those looking to hear Silksong news can hope for the best, so long as they keep their expectations in check.
With 20 minutes of footage coming in the August 11 Indie World Showcase, it's easy to imagine something coming from Team Cherry - even just a brief clip in a highlight reel. Still, there are many fans in the comments of today's Twitter post preparing for the next step in the eternal recurrence: Disappointment, followed by another long wait until the next Nintendo Direct kicks off more anticipation.
The ongoing pandemic had a huge impact on video game developers, so it wouldn't be surprising if Team Cherry has also suffered setbacks from its initial plans. Fans should be prepared for this possibility, even if they're looking forward to Hollow Knight: Silksong news. If nothing else, games like Metroid Dread should help tide over Switch users in the meantime.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is in development for PC and Switch.