The enigmatic three-person game development team based in Adelaide has stirred up a storm on the global online gaming scene.

On Friday, major platforms like Steam, Nintendo’s eShop, PlayStation Store, and Microsoft Store all experienced crashes as they struggled to keep up with the demand for Hollow Knight: Silksong, the eagerly awaited sequel to the acclaimed 2017 indie sensation, Hollow Knight.

The game’s launch resulted in widespread outages, with thousands of players reporting difficulties in purchasing the game during the initial hours of its release. Many faced persistent error messages for almost three hours post-launch, preventing them from completing their transactions.

The spike in demand was evident on down detectors across troubleshooting platforms, which recorded a surge to 3,750 users immediately after the game’s launch, slowly diminishing thereafter.

Social media erupted with complaints about error codes and shared screenshots as frustrated gamers expressed their disappointment over the absence of pre-order options. Some labeled the situation as “absurd,” while others criticized the lack of measures to prevent such congestion.

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Another digital retailer, Humble Bundle, indicated that the game was momentarily unavailable due to high traffic, although this notification was later removed once the situation stabilized.

Regardless of these technical challenges, Steam noted over 100,000 active players within just 30 minutes of launch, implying that many managed to secure their copies.

Hollow Knight was crafted by Ari Gibson, William Pellen, and Jack Vine, along with music from Christopher Larkin, representing the Adelaide-based indie studio, Team Cherry. Set in a vividly imagined realm of insect warriors, the game has garnered a passionate following since its debut in 2017, selling over 15 million copies globally.

The New York Times recently hailed the original Hollow Knight as a “Modern Metroidvania Classic,” praising its “engaging and detailed hand-drawn animations, challenging boss encounters, and twists with secret pathways.”

The original has achieved cult status, largely through word-of-mouth recommendations. Anticipation for a sequel focusing on Hornet, the sword-wielding princess who served as a supporting character in the first game, has grown, as highlighted by a recent New York Times report that discussed at least seven new game developments avoiding past conflicts and employing gaming demons in baby steps and tactical roles in Walking Sims.

The development of the game was financed independently, though a South Australian film company celebrated Team Cherry’s global success on Friday, stating, “This small team of combat developers in Adelaide showcases world-leading talent and the creative excellence that emerges from South Australia.”

In a recent Bloomberg interview, Gibson mentioned that the seven-year development timeline of Silksong is entirely attributed to the team’s choice of project.

“We’re a small team, and it takes us considerable time to create the game,” he explained. “There wasn’t any significant controversy surrounding it.”

In a previous discussion with ABC, Pellen attributed the original Hollow Knight’s lasting appeal to its blend of classic inspiration and modern aesthetics.

“What was gratifying about Hollow Knight was that we crafted something according to our tastes, leading to a slightly unique product,” Pellen stated in the ABC interview. “We hope Silksong can achieve something similar.”