"In the current situation, the DRM-free and affordable $20 price point of Silksong has drawn many pirates to make legitimate purchases, with many advocating for support of the developers."
In a spectacular debut, the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed indie game Hollow Knight, Silksong, has surpassed expectations and set new records. The game, developed by the Australian independent studio Team Cherry, was released just two hours ago and has already sold an impressive 15 million copies across multiple platforms, including Xbox Game Pass.
The digital storefronts have been overwhelmed by the demand, resulting in temporary crashes. This rapid success has eclipsed the all-time concurrent Steam player record set by its predecessor, Hollow Knight.
Despite the availability of pirated versions of the game on various websites, the game's developers and supporters have expressed pro-payment sentiments. Sythrin, a member of the gaming community, emphasised that Silksong is cheap, priced at just $20. No-Shape6053 praised Team Cherry for doing right by their fans, while OlavoBilac mentioned that he purchased Hollow Knight after being able to afford it.
Top commenter SRETO05SRB argued that the game is cheaper than expected and has minimal anti-piracy measures. However, Sythrin advised against pirating Silksong, stressing the importance of compensating creators for their work.
Interestingly, some game developers have previously encouraged piracy, citing reasons such as indifference, a desire for those who can't afford the game to play, or a belief that it's the moral high ground in certain cases.
In a move that might appeal to some pirates, Team Cherry has released a DRM-free version of Silksong. This decision, coupled with the game's affordable price, might encourage some to make legitimate purchases. In fact, members of a 2.4 million-strong Piracy subreddit have expressed support for legitimate purchases of Silksong.
While creators should undoubtedly be paid for their work, the debate around piracy continues. Some argue that it isn't necessarily the boogeyman it's sometimes made out to be. Regardless, the success of Silksong serves as a testament to the game's quality and the excitement of its fanbase.
