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Hollow Knight team hires Shark Jump Studios to expedite Switch version

Cerium

Member
UPDATE: Hollow Knight is now feature complete on Nintendo Switch!

Quick Update: Switch version is now feature complete! Prep your Joycons (Or your Pro Controller, if you prefer). From now till Hollow Knight’s (unspecified) Switch launch day it’s all about testing and optimisation, all the time. That’s still a task mind you! But things are really rolling now!

And though it may go without saying, Hidden Dreams will of course be included with the Switch version at launch!

http://teamcherry.com.au/hk-done-quick-over-100000-sold-art-pizza-thumbs-up/

This is the next big thing for Team Cherry. We’re working our hardest to get the game ready for Nintendo’s sleek new console. But as hard as we work, Team Cherry is only two people (Plus Leth!) so we’ve taken a big step to speed things up!

Please welcome Shark Jump Studios. They’re an Adelaide based coding/development team, and we’ve brought them on-board specifically to help us get Hollow Knight’s Switch version tested, polished and ready for it’s console debut. Between the two teams, expect Hollow Knight to land on Switch in a not crazy (though still unspecified!) period of time.

Mnvsydh.jpg


Don’t be concerned by that half-hearted thumbs up. His fingers are no doubt tired from all the high-level coding!
 
Adelaide-based? Between them and Tantalus, Australia is seeming like a great place to get your Switch ports done.

It's a good strategy though; focus on what you're already familiar with in-house and hire a respectable studio to get the Switch version done on time. It's good more studios are recognizing this approach.
 

TheExodu5

Banned
Great News!

I've actually been holding off playing my PC copy because I felt like the Switch would be such a great home to this game.
 

killroy87

Member
Awesome news! I wonder if they heard the feedback form that 6-12 months timeline. Hopefully this can ensure it out by fall.
 

javadoze

Member
Smart move. It'd seem like a huge drain to have their ridiculously small in-house team working on the Switch port, so this is good to hear.
 

Cerium

Member
Adelaide-based? Between them and Tantalus, Australia is seeming like a great place to get your Switch ports done.

It's a good strategy though; focus on what you're already familiar with in-house and hire a respectable studio to get the Switch version done on time. It's good more studios are recognizing this approach.

Team Cherry itself is Australian so I think they wanted to keep it local.
 

Kouriozan

Member
Sweet, the sooner it comes out, the better.
Even more when we hear succesful indies story this early in the console's life.
 

Smeags

Member
Great news! Hollow Knight has been one of my most anticipated games for a while, and the delay of such magnitude (from a few months after launch to Q1 2018) was such a bummer.

Really shows their passion and desire to see this through. Cant wait to get my hands on it!
 

Cerium

Member
Didn't Nintendo not want ports? Isn't that the whole Cosmic Star Heroine ordeal...

what's going on here

This was a Kickstarted game that hit a Wii U stretch goal. The Wii U version was cancelled and Switch version confirmed in January.

Switch will be the first console it hits.
 

TheMoon

Member
Didn't Nintendo not want ports? Isn't that the whole Cosmic Star Heroine ordeal...

what's going on here

it's not a port. this is a new release that got announced for Switch before it came out. And because it was already slated for Wii U then got moved over. Cosmic Star Heroine was not planned for Wii U so them asking for Switch kits was their first contact. Ergo: totally different situation.

That is pretty much what you see with all those "but they're ports!!" games coming to Switch. They started life on Wii U but got moved over which is why they're in the clear. Or they have a unique Switch feature/content added, etc etc.
 

wrowa

Member
Didn't Nintendo not want ports? Isn't that the whole Cosmic Star Heroine ordeal...

what's going on here

- Hollow Knight was in development for Wii U, but working together with Nintendo they cancelled the Wii U version in favor of a Switch release. Cosmic Star wasn't in development for Wii U.

- Hollow Knight is only available for PC so far. So, it won't actually be a late part in the console space. It might even release on Switch earlier than on PS4. Cosmic Star on the other hand is already available on PS4, soon Vita and has a planned Xbox version that likely would release before the Switch version as well.

Not defending Nintendo's policy, but there are some differences between CSH and HK.
 

Soapbox Killer

Grand Nagus
I'm rather impressed that Team Cherry is only 2 people. My son has this game on steam and it looks outstanding. I'm waiting for the Switch version.
 

Marcel

Member
it's not a port. this is a new release that got announced for Switch before it came out. And because it was already slated for Wii U then got moved over. Cosmic Star Heroine was not planned for Wii U so them asking for Switch kits was their first contact. Ergo: totally different situation.

That is pretty much what you see with all those "but they're ports!!" games coming to Switch. They started life on Wii U but got moved over which is why they're in the clear. Or they have a unique Switch feature/content added, etc etc.

"Not the same game, not the same content"
 

Yogg

Member
Very good news, and congrats on passing that 100k sales bar Team Cherry !

I really hope they can fasttrack the Switch version, they would surely benefit a lot from it in the current Switch climate, with many active users and few games.
 

Whales

Banned
Nice!

Hollow Knight is a GREAT game. Everyone should buy it if they have a chance... One of the best, if not the best metroidvania i've ever played.
 

BlakeofT

Member
Was waiting for it to go on sale but eventually caved. Such a great game. Not sure how fun it will be with a switch "dpad" but surely a pro controller can fix that.

Man, hope they release a left Joycon with a proper dpad...
 
Adelaide-based? Between them and Tantalus, Australia is seeming like a great place to get your Switch ports done.

It's a good strategy though; focus on what you're already familiar with in-house and hire a respectable studio to get the Switch version done on time. It's good more studios are recognizing this approach.

It's a good strategy in general when your team consists of about two people.

Nice!

Hollow Knight is a GREAT game. Everyone should buy it if they have a chance... One of the best, if not the best metroidvania i've ever played.

Yeah I'm not at all hesitant to double dip when it's out on the Switch. One of the best games in a year filled with amazing games and possibly my new favourite metroidvania.
 

Yogg

Member
Not sure how fun it will be with a switch "dpad" but surely a pro controller can fix that.

Man, hope they release a left Joycon with a proper dpad...

I'll echo that. I'm currently going through Shovel Knight again on the switch, and that d-pad is killing me. It's like I've never played the game before, and I feel like I have to constantly concentrate on it even though I've used d-pads for 25 years.

I'd hate to have my HK experience diminished because of it (or maybe I'll be used to it by then).
 
I hope they bring it to other platforms eventually too. I've read some people calling it the best Metroidvania in years and I'd love it on my PS4 or Vita.
 

Anno

Member
Wait, TWO people made Hollow Knight? God damn, what an amazing job.

I think three. Or at least one more part time. But yeah either way it's insane that so few people crafted such an insanely big game while making so much of it so unique and polished.
 

Cerium

Member
I hope they bring it to other platforms eventually too. I've read some people calling it the best Metroidvania in years and I'd love it on my PS4 or Vita.

PS4 is likely, eventually, but Vita almost certainly will not happen. They stated that the Wii U couldn't run it.

Hand drawn games like this require a lot of memory.
 

Nabs

Member
I hope they bring it to other platforms eventually too. I've read some people calling it the best Metroidvania in years and I'd love it on my PS4 or Vita.

Other consoles? We’ve heard the calls, and we’re doing our best to make things happen. Nothing to announce yet, but watch this space.
 
I'll echo that. I'm currently going through Shovel Knight again on the switch, and that d-pad is killing me. It's like I've never played the game before, and I feel like I have to constantly concentrate on it even though I've used d-pads for 25 years.

I'd hate to have my HK experience diminished because of it (or maybe I'll be used to it by then).

I don't like the 'fake dpad' on the joy-con either but I had no problem with the game once I switched (heh) to using the analog stick. The short travel distance makes it perfectly viable for 2D platformers. At least it does for me.
 
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