Since its launch in early September, *Hollow Knight: Silksong* has ignited a heated discussion around accessibility and difficulty. The massive hype surrounding Team Cherry’s metroidvania attracted many newcomers who had little idea of the challenge they were about to face. In response, the developers quickly released a patch to make certain encounters more forgiving. Additionally, the modding community stepped in with creative solutions to ease players through some of the game’s punishing mechanics and bosses.
But here’s an unexpected twist: the final version of *Silksong* that players experienced was actually a toned-down version. That’s right—Team Cherry decided to spare players from true pain by scaling back the difficulty. During playtesting, the game was significantly harder.
### Team Cherry’s Playtesters Faced a Much Tougher *Silksong*
Recently, Matt Trobbiani, the voice behind the beloved character Trobbio, shared some fascinating insights during the Dan Allen Gaming Podcast. Not only did he contribute his voice to the game, but he also served as one of the playtesters for *Silksong*. In fact, Trobbiani was among the first people to complete the game and see the True Ending.
If you’ve managed to beat every boss in the game, you can thank him—many of the boss adjustments that made fights more manageable were his suggestions. “It was almost entirely nerfs to the bosses that I got put in,” he revealed. “It was much harder when I did it!”
While Trobbiani didn’t specify which bosses gave him the most trouble, he did hint that some were tweaked to include extra anticipatory frames, helping players react more effectively. This kind of fine-tuning reflects Team Cherry’s commitment to balancing difficulty—challenging but fair.
### Attention to Feedback and a Planned Shadow Drop
Trobbiani also emphasized how seriously Team Cherry took playtester feedback. He noted that the game was “a little different each session,” underscoring the developers’ ongoing efforts to refine the experience based on player input.
Another intriguing detail from the podcast confirms a long-standing fan theory: *Silksong* was initially planned to be released as a surprise “shadow drop.” While Trobbiani didn’t explain why the idea was eventually abandoned, it aligns perfectly with Team Cherry’s typically quiet, low-key approach to development and marketing.
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*Hollow Knight: Silksong*’s journey from a brutally challenging playtest build to a polished final release demonstrates Team Cherry’s dedication to creating an experience that rewards skill without frustration—making it accessible to newcomers and veteran fans alike.
https://www.dualshockers.com/silksongs-bosses-more-difficult-playtesting/