A secret button sequence in Hollow Knight: Silksong, developed by Team Cherry, unlocks the game’s hardcore Steel Soul difficulty early, allowing players to enable permadeath without reaching the post-game content. That discovery matters because Steel Soul requires typically beating the game and fundamentally changes how runs are approached.
Like the first game, Hollow Knight: Silksong is a demanding title that punishes mistakes and rewards precision. On PC, modders and memory tools make toggling options easier, but consoles remain limited when it comes to external cheats. Not for consoles, though. Players on every platform will still face the same core combat and platforming challenges unless the sequence is used.
Hollow Knight Silksong Cheat Code Makes the Game Harder
Reports and community posts point to a hidden menu sequence that unlocks Steel Soul early. Several Reddit threads and short clips show the same input being used, which suggests the sequence is intentional rather than an accidental exploit.
- Navigate and open up the extra menu on the main title menu.
- With the menu open (the cursor will be on credits), hit the following buttons: Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right
- You should hear a sound effect, and when you go to start a new game, Steel Soul will now be unlocked.
That sequence does not soften the game. Steel Soul makes death permanent and removes revives, meaning a single mistake early can erase hours of progress and force a complete restart from the beginning of the game. Players who want the ultimate challenge can now skip the usual unlock requirement, and that changes how some first runs might be approached. There is no confirmation from Team Cherry that additional hidden codes exist, but the community will likely keep digging.
Share your thoughts in the comments and follow us on X and Bluesky to keep the conversation moving.
