Hollow Knight’s Switch 2 Edition is free — but the real win is the performance overhaul

What actually changes for players

This caught my attention because Team Cherry is taking a grown-up approach: rather than charging for a “remaster,” they’re backporting the real technical gains from Silksong’s Switch 2 work into the original Hollow Knight and offering it as a free Switch 2 Edition upgrade in 2026 for existing owners. In practical terms that means stable 60 FPS in handheld and docked modes, higher handheld resolution, and a bunch of quality-of-life fixes across platforms – and you don’t pay extra for it.

• Free Switch 2 Edition – owners of the base Switch version get the upgrade at no cost.
• Performance first – 60 FPS targets, reduced input latency, and smoother boss fights.
• Cross-platform polish — PC betas add Steam Deck and ultrawide support plus various bug fixes.

Breaking down the improvements

Team Cherry is explicit that this isn’t a full artistic overhaul — it’s a technical refresh. The Switch 2 Edition pulls in optimizations proven on Silksong for the new hardware: better frame pacing, higher resolutions (native handheld improvements), and some graphical upgrades like improved lighting, particle density and anti-aliasing where it actually helps readability during fast pans.

Why does that matter? Hollow Knight is a precision game. Dodging, pogoing and nail-combos are rhythm-based; smoothing the frame rate and lowering input lag changes how those systems feel. On the original Switch you could see stutter in intense rooms or pantheons — on Switch 2 those hiccups should largely vanish.

Why now — and why Team Cherry’s choice matters

“Why now” is the Silksong connection. The studio already solved a bunch of Switch 2 performance issues while getting Silksong to run well on the new hardware. Reusing that engineering work for the original game is efficient and player-friendly. This is the kind of move I respect: small download, meaningful gains, no paywall. It’s the opposite of a cash-grab remaster.

That said, be skeptical about expectations. This isn’t changing level design, AI, or core mechanics. Mods and community patches on PC will still matter for players who want deeper visual overhauls or new content. And console owners should not expect a massive visual overhaul — the focus is performance and clarity.

PC beta, Steam Deck and ultrawide — what to try now

Team Cherry has pushed the updated code into public betas on Steam and GOG. Those builds add ultrawide (21:9, 16:10) support and Steam Deck-focused aspect options. If you want to test the improvements today: opt into the beta via the game’s properties on Steam or GOG and try ultrawide modes or the Deck-specific profiles. Expect smoother frame pacing and fewer black bars on portable displays.

• Speedrunners: frame stability shaves seconds in Any% and boss-specific segments.
• Steam Deck players: improved aspect handling and performance profiles make handheld runs more reliable.
• PC players: ultrawide support is now official — no more community workarounds for a lot of setups.

What you should do (short checklist)

• Own the Switch version already? Leave space on your console — the free update should auto-deliver when the Switch 2 Edition goes live.
• PC user? Opt into the public beta on Steam/GOG to test ultrawide and Deck support now.
• Speedrunner or competitive player? Re-benchmark timing on key boss fights — stable 60 FPS changes frame windows.
• Modder? Expect vanilla Switch 2 to be the performance baseline; continue using community tools where you need visual mods.

TL;DR

Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight Switch 2 Edition is the kind of upgrade I want to see more often: free, practical, and focused on gameplay improvements that matter. It won’t rewrite the game, but it makes the combat and exploration feel sharper — and the PC beta’s ultrawide/Deck fixes mean players can get those benefits today. If you value tight inputs and clean visuals over flashy remakes, this is worthwhile.