The gaming world has been in a state of suspended animation for years, all waiting for one game: Hollow Knight: Silksong. Now, with a surprise announcement that it will finally release on September 4, 2025, the floodgates have opened, and the ripple effect is starting to kill off other games’ release dates. The latest victim is Demonschool, a highly anticipated “Persona-inspired” tactics RPG from developers Necrosoft Games and publisher Ysbryd Games. The game, which was originally set to launch on September 3, was delayed until November 19, 2025. This wasn’t a choice made lightly, as the developers had already sent out review keys and were ready to launch. In a candid statement, the publisher admitted that they were simply “wading into waters we can clearly see are blood red” by launching a game one day before the “GTA of indie games.” This single announcement has added yet another body to Silksong’s kill count, a testament to the immense power of its years-long hype cycle.

The Great Indie Game Exodus of September 2025

Demonschool is not the first game to fall prey to the Silksong phenomenon. In the days following the surprise release date announcement, a handful of other indie developers made similar decisions. Aeterna Lucis, a highly anticipated Metroidvania, was delayed to 2026. CloverPit, a quirky roguelite, pushed its release back to late September. And Stomp and the Sword of Miracles, another indie darling, delayed its demo. The pattern is clear: developers, after years of hard work, are choosing to delay their games rather than be overshadowed by a game that has a level of mainstream awareness that is virtually unheard of for an indie title. The logic is simple: a game’s launch window is crucial for visibility and sales, and trying to compete for attention with Silksong is a losing battle. As one developer put it, “It would be like throwing a tiny krill into the path of a blue whale.”

Ysbryd Games’ statement was particularly poignant. After 11 years as an indie publisher, they are “reasonably qualified” to say that 2025 has been a brutal year for releasing a game, but finding out with “such short notice” that they would be launching one day before Silksong was the final straw. For a game like Demonschool, which relies on word-of-mouth and early buzz, being buried by a game with millions of fans and a dedicated fanbase would be a death sentence. While the delay is disappointing for fans who have been waiting for the game, the extra time will be used to add more content at launch, including new endings and minigames that were originally planned as post-release updates. This is a cold comfort, but it’s a silver lining that shows the developers’ commitment to delivering the best possible game, even under immense pressure.

• A Crowded Market: 2025 has been a brutal year for indie game releases, making the competition for visibility even more intense.
• Strategic Retreat: Developers are making the difficult but necessary decision to delay their games to avoid competing with a juggernaut like Silksong.
• Added Value: The delay is not just a postponement; developers like Necrosoft Games are using the extra time to add more features and polish to their games.

The Silksong Effect: A New Industry Standard

The “Silksong Effect” is now a real phenomenon in the gaming industry. Few, if any, indie games have ever had this kind of gravitational pull on the release calendar. This is the kind of power typically reserved for AAA titans like Grand Theft Auto or a new Elder Scrolls title. It’s a testament to the immense quality of the first game, the developers’ commitment to the sequel, and the years of community-building that have created an unprecedented level of hype. The irony is that the long wait for the game has only made it more powerful, turning it into a mythological beast that, upon its emergence, forces every other creature to scatter. While fans of games like Demonschool may be disappointed, the publisher’s decision is a logical one. It’s better for a game to arrive late and be seen than to be on time and be ignored. The “Silksong Effect” is a powerful lesson in the modern games market, and it’s a force that every indie developer will now have to consider when planning their launch. For now, the kill count continues to grow, and the industry holds its breath, waiting for the day that the “GTA of indie games” finally arrives.