I've put countless hours into both Hollow Knight and Silksong, and if you asked me about the history of Hallownest, I could only really give you my own rough interpretation. The mythology is fairly esoteric, and due to a recent update, now even more inscrutable.
Hollow Knight YouTuber "mossbag" pointed out the differences online, sharing a screenshot of the description for a Lightseed. "Strange air has been seeping down from above since long ago," reads the background for the slimy creatures.
As inconspicuous as this might seem, there was indeed a subtle change. "Strange air has been seeping down from above for years," was the former entry. Moss states that any mention of "year" or "years" has been removed game-wide. They shared a changelog to demonstrate numerous instances of similar alterations.
New Hollow Knight update removes any reference to "years". 9 years since launch and they are changing the lore to make it even more vague. pic.twitter.com/bMdDyJgiglFebruary 14, 2026
While small, it does bring some added mystery, as if time isn't even measured on the same scale as us in this bizarre, squishy world. Although this change is happening to a nine-year-old game, it's part of a stylistic decision that's been in place for some time.
The Hollow Knight wiki contains a section on time, specifically "hours," pointing out terminology to avoid. "No specific time is ever perceptible. Enforces the idea of a world in stasis. 'An age ago' is okay," states the entry.
The real question is why it took almost a decade to enact this part of Team Cherry's style guide on the OG Metroidvania. Probably too busy making Silksong and fixing other niggling issues, and it kept slipping down in the tasks. We've all been there.
The next question is, how can devs make it all even more byzantine? I'm sure they'll find a way, and for some reason, I'll wind up appreciating these games even more.
