Team Cherry
Australian independent video-game developer best known for the Hollow Knight series.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Team Cherry is an independent Australian video-game development studio based in Adelaide, South Australia. The company is associated principally with Hollow Knight, a hand-drawn two-dimensional action-adventure game that combines Metroidvania exploration, platforming, combat, environmental storytelling, and a large interconnected underground setting. The studio was founded by artist and animator Ari Gibson and designer and web developer William Pellen, whose early collaboration developed into the concept that became Hollow Knight. Technical director David Kazi, composer Christopher Larkin, and marketing and publishing manager Matthew Griffin were also important contributors to the game's production and release. The initial idea emerged from a 2013 Ludum Dare game jam. Gibson and Pellen created a small prototype called Hungry Knight, whose insect protagonist and basic premise provided an early foundation for Hollow Knight. A later concept centered on an ancient subterranean kingdom populated by insect-like characters. The developers drew inspiration from older action-platformers and exploration-focused games, including Metroid, Faxanadu, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and Mega Man X. Their design goals included precise movement, a strong sense of discovery, a nonlinear world, and a visual style based on scanned hand-drawn artwork. Team Cherry used Kickstarter to expand development. A campaign launched in November 2014 with a target of A$35,000 and raised more than A$57,000 from 2,158 backers. The additional funding supported broader game scope and enabled the team to bring in further development, music, and release-management expertise. During production, the project moved from the Stencyl engine to Unity and continued to grow through stretch goals and additional content. Hollow Knight launched for Windows on 24 February 2017, followed by Linux and macOS in April of that year. It later reached Nintendo Switch in June 2018 and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2018 through the Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition. Four free content expansions were released between 2017 and 2018, adding areas, quests, challenges, bosses, and endings. The game became known for its atmospheric art direction, music, demanding combat, extensive worldbuilding, and relatively large amount of content for an independently produced title. Reference material reports that it has sold more than 15 million copies. The studio's second major project is Hollow Knight: Silksong, a sequel focused on Hornet, a prominent character from the first game. Reference material identifies Silksong as having been released in 2025 and achieving commercial and critical success. Team Cherry's public identity remains closely tied to creator-led independent development, premium downloadable games, hand-crafted 2D art, and exploration-heavy action design. It is not known to be publicly listed or controlled by a larger entertainment group.
History
Team Cherry developed from the collaboration of Adelaide-based artist Ari Gibson and designer William Pellen. Their early work on the 2013 Ludum Dare prototype Hungry Knight introduced an insect-themed protagonist and helped establish the direction of their later project. After a subsequent concept built around an underground kingdom, the pair began designing Hollow Knight as an exploration-driven 2D action game inspired by older platformers and adventure titles. The developers aimed to reproduce the feeling of discovering unfamiliar places in classic games while giving the player highly responsive movement. Hollow Knight's world, Hallownest, was designed as a large interconnected environment in which routes could be opened through new movement abilities, spells, items, and defeated bosses. The visual presentation used scanned hand-drawn artwork, while the narrative was distributed through characters, environmental details, dialogue, and scattered text rather than presented only through direct exposition. Team Cherry revealed Hollow Knight through Kickstarter in November 2014. The campaign exceeded its A$35,000 target and raised more than A$57,000 from 2,158 supporters. This allowed the developers to enlarge the game's scope and add further specialist support, including technical director David Kazi, composer Christopher Larkin, and marketing and publishing manager Matthew Griffin. Production also involved a transition from Stencyl to Unity. The project reached a beta milestone in 2015 while continuing to incorporate additional content associated with stretch goals. Hollow Knight was released for Windows on 24 February 2017, with Linux and macOS versions following in April. Its reception highlighted the hand-drawn art, soundtrack, atmosphere, combat, difficulty, and interconnected world. Team Cherry subsequently delivered four free expansions between 2017 and 2018. These included additional quests and characters, the Grimm Troupe storyline, expanded challenge content, and Godmaster, which added Godhome, boss rematches, Pantheons, and further endings. The game expanded to Nintendo Switch in June 2018 and to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2018. The Switch port followed a change in platform plans: development had originally included the Wii U, but the work moved to Nintendo Switch after the Wii U's discontinuation. Team Cherry worked with Australian developer Shark Jump Studios on the port. The studio later developed Hollow Knight: Silksong, a sequel centered on Hornet. According to the supplied reference material, Silksong was released in 2025 and received commercial and critical acclaim. Team Cherry therefore remains identified with a small-team, independently financed approach to premium 2D game development.
- 2025
Hollow Knight: Silksong released
[2]The sequel focused on Hornet was identified in the supplied reference material as having launched in 2025.
- 2018
Hollow Knight reaches Nintendo Switch
[2]The Switch version launched on 12 June after the planned Wii U release was redirected to the newer platform.
- 2018
Voidheart Edition reaches PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
[2]The console edition launched on 25 September with the game's accumulated content.
- 2017
Hollow Knight debuts on PC
[2]The game launched for Windows in February and Linux and macOS in April.
- 2017
Free expansion program begins
[2]Team Cherry began releasing free downloadable expansions that broadened the game's world, quests, bosses, and challenge modes.
- 2015
Hollow Knight reaches beta
[2]The project reached a beta state while development continued with additional content and a transition to the Unity engine.
- 2014
Hollow Knight Kickstarter exceeds its target
[2]The campaign surpassed its A$35,000 goal and raised more than A$57,000 from 2,158 backers.
- 2013
Hungry Knight prototype created
[2]A Ludum Dare game-jam project by Ari Gibson and William Pellen introduced an insect protagonist and concepts that later informed Hollow Knight.
Products and positioning
Independent game developer focused on ambitious, hand-crafted 2D action-adventure experiences with exploration, challenging combat, atmospheric worldbuilding, and strong visual and musical identity.
2D action-adventure / Metroidvania video game · 2017
Hollow Knight
Team Cherry's debut commercial game is a side-scrolling exploration adventure set in Hallownest, a ruined insect kingdom affected by a supernatural Infection. Players control a silent warrior commonly called the Knight, acquire movement abilities and spells, battle enemies and bosses, and uncover the setting's history through exploration and indirect storytelling. Its interconnected map, hand-drawn presentation, atmospheric music, demanding combat, and multiple endings made it the studio's signature product.
2D action-adventure / Metroidvania video game · 2025
Hollow Knight: Silksong
The sequel follows Hornet, a major character from Hollow Knight, in a new adventure. The supplied reference material describes Silksong as released in 2025 and as receiving commercial success and critical acclaim. Further details about its launch platforms, sales, and business structure are not included in the available source material.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Hollow Knight Kickstarter
International crowdfunding market
Team Cherry used Kickstarter to finance and expand Hollow Knight. The campaign set a A$35,000 target and raised more than A$57,000 from 2,158 backers, supporting broader scope and additional specialist development and publishing work.
Outcome. Funding target exceeded; development scope expanded.
Brand decisions
2017
Release Hollow Knight on personal computersProduct launchBackground
After crowdfunding and multi-year development, Team Cherry prepared the game for its initial commercial launch.
Action taken
The studio released Hollow Knight for Windows, followed by Linux and macOS versions.
Aftermath
The game received strong critical attention and became the studio's defining product.
2017
Deliver free post-launch expansionsOtherBackground
Stretch goals and the studio's continuing development plan created an opportunity to expand Hollow Knight after launch.
Action taken
Team Cherry released four free expansions between 2017 and 2018, including Grimm Troupe and Godmaster.
Aftermath
The game's content scope grew substantially through new quests, areas, bosses, challenge modes, and endings.
2016
Shift planned Wii U development toward Nintendo SwitchStrategyBackground
Team Cherry had begun work on a Wii U version, but Nintendo's platform transition affected the release plan.
Action taken
The team redirected the console version to Nintendo Switch and worked with Shark Jump Studios to accelerate porting.
Aftermath
The Nintendo Switch version was released digitally on 12 June 2018.
Sources3 sources
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