Hell is Us Director's Bold Statement!

In a surprising twist, Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, the creative mind behind Hell is Us, criticized the stealth launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong, describing it as "a little callous" for its potential impact on his game's sales. This blunt remark came during an interview on Skill Up's Friends Per Second podcast.

The Clash of Release Dates

Rogue Factor's Hell is Us had already set its release date before Team Cherry dropped the bombshell about Silksong. The unfortunate timing resulted in both games launching on the same day, leading to concerns within the Hell is Us team.

Jacques-Belletête expressed his frustration, saying, "When you know you're that big, I think a shadow drop is a bit like – wow. As the 'GTA 6 of indie'... to shadow drop something like this is a little callous."

Tough Decisions Ahead

Following the announcement from Team Cherry, the Hell is Us team seriously considered rescheduling their release in discussions with their publisher, Nacon. However, changing the launch date involves a complex web of issues, including the headache of refunding pre-orders. Although it wasn’t the only factor, the team opted to stick to their original launch.

An Impact That Can't Be Ignored

Despite not having specific numbers at hand, Jacques-Belletête candidly acknowledged the inevitable impact Silksong had on the launch of Hell is Us. "For sure it did," he admitted.

The Challenges of Finding a Launch Window

The director emphasized the growing difficulty of securing a favorable release window in today’s crowded gaming landscape. "Honestly, getting a window where you're pretty much alone is almost impossible... There’s no such thing as a dead period anymore. It’s constant madness," he lamented.

Industry Fallout from Silksong's Launch

The repercussions of Silksong's launch were felt industry-wide, prompting several other titles, including Demonschool and Baby Steps, to alter their release dates.

What's at Stake for Hell is Us?

Hell is Us promises to be a gripping exploration of the horrors of war, though it has faced criticism for some divisive design choices, as reflected in our review. Will Jacques-Belletête's concerns lead to long-term consequences for the game? Only time will tell.

Stay tuned as we continue to follow this story and more in our daily live updates!