Hollow Knight: Silksong, the much-anticipated sequel from Team Cherry, has encountered significant criticism from Chinese players who have highlighted serious issues with the game's Simplified Chinese localization. Despite glowing reviews worldwide, the game’s reception in the Chinese-speaking community has been notably poor, causing the Steam review status for that language to sink to "Mixed" with just a 42% positive rating.
The disparity is stark when compared to Silksong’s overall global performance: the game holds an impressive 80% "Very Positive" rating based on over 80,000 reviews. Yet among the roughly 16,000 negative reviews globally, nearly 11,800 come from Simplified Chinese users. This concentration of criticism largely stems from complaints about the game's translation quality, which many describe as bafflingly poor and stylistically inconsistent.
Matthew Griffin, Team Cherry’s publishing and marketing lead, publicly acknowledged the issues on September 5, 2025, promising: "We appreciate you letting us know about quality issues with the current Simplified Chinese translation of Hollow Knight: Silksong. We'll be working to improve the translation over the coming weeks." This response came after mounting feedback from players and localization experts alike.
Among the critiques, localization professionals and players described the translation as anachronistic and tonally mismatched, at times resembling "a Wuxia novel" rather than capturing the game's intended atmosphere. Noted translator and community voices highlighted that the creative direction of the translation, not just linguistic errors, disrupted the gaming experience, reducing immersion and clarity in storytelling.
A notable element of the controversy involves the comparatively small localization team: Silksong credited only two translators for the Chinese version, whereas the original Hollow Knight employed six facilitators, including experienced professionals with prior acclaimed works. One of the credited translators, Hertzz Liu, was also reportedly involved in leaking game details prior to release, further stirring mixed reactions among fans and industry observers.
Despite ongoing frustrations, some contextual factors may explain the situation. The increasing prominence of Chinese-speaking players on Steam underscores the importance of careful localization to meet the expectations of this growing market segment. Yet, translation and localization quality challenges persist, exacerbated by tight development schedules and resource allocation.
While the translation woes have sparked significant outcry, they have not overshadowed the overall appreciation for Silksong’s gameplay and design. Critics outside the Chinese-speaking community continue to praise the sequel for its refined Metroidvania mechanics and artistic direction.
The ongoing debate highlights the rising significance of quality localization in the global gaming industry, where linguistic fidelity and cultural nuance can crucially influence a game's reception and commercial success. Team Cherry’s commitment to addressing these shortcomings reflects a growing awareness among developers about meeting diverse player expectations.
As Team Cherry works to deliver a revised translation, the wider gaming ecosystem watches closely, recognizing how localization quality can directly impact user engagement and brand reputation in a fiercely competitive market.
