Team Cherry’s new native build brings Hollow Knight to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with true 60 fps performance, 4K resolution, and lightning‑fast SSD loading—all at no extra cost for existing owners. New players can grab the upgrade for a modest $15 price, giving you the same polished experience across next‑gen consoles.
What’s New in the Native Build
The update isn’t just a visual polish; it’s a fully native version that taps directly into the power of current‑gen hardware. You’ll notice smoother combat, sharper textures, and a steadier frame‑rate that eliminates the up‑scaled tricks used in older ports.
Performance Boosts on PS5 and Xbox Series
Both consoles run the game at a locked 60 fps with native 4K support, while the SSD cuts load times dramatically. Transitions between Hallownest’s zones feel almost instantaneous, and the handheld version on the upcoming Switch 2 enjoys similar gains at its native resolution.
Free Upgrade Strategy
Offering the upgrade for free to existing owners sidesteps the backlash that often follows paid remasters. At $15 for newcomers, the price aligns with the indie market, and bundling all three platforms under one price simplifies the buying decision for anyone who owns multiple consoles.
Impact on Indie Development
This move shows that smaller studios can afford to revisit flagship titles without breaking the bank. A native build reduces technical overhead, making it easier to add post‑launch features, patches, or community mods without being limited by legacy engine constraints.
Developer Insight
A senior Unity developer explained that moving from a compatibility layer to a native build required rewriting low‑level rendering calls to leverage the consoles’ RDNA 2 GPUs and custom APIs. You get a cleaner pipeline, which translates to steadier frame‑rates and less CPU bottleneck. For Hollow Knight, this means enemy AI and physics run at full speed without hiccups.
Future Outlook
Seeing Hollow Knight receive this upgrade could set a precedent for other indie classics. Imagine smoother experiences for titles like Celeste or Dead Cells without paying full‑price remaster fees. The industry may soon see more free or low‑cost native upgrades that keep beloved games fresh for new and returning players.
