Ok, that was quick. Hollow Knight: Silksong has been out less than a week, and no less than two modders have already had a crack at getting multiplayer working in it, so you can take on those pesky bosses with some co-op moral support.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. After all, the Skong modding scene has exploded out of the gates with the same level of gusto folks have had for just playing the base version of the long-awaited metroidvania. Then again, it's one thing for folks to be putting out a bunch of smaller scale tweaks that can help make things easier, and another for them to turn a one player game into a more than one player game.

These first two Skong multiplayer mods to hit the Nexus are the wonderfully named SilklessCoop (if you get the reference) by Nek5, and the more 'does what it says on the tin' Silksong Steam multiplayer mod from 233xvx233. Both aim to accomplish the same thing: letting you and a friend load into the same version of Silksong for double the Hornets, and at least be able to see each other as you work your way through the game.

As you can see below, both mods' authors have posted videos proving that you can use their works to do that at the very minimum, though it appears taking on bosses together might still be beyond the early proofs-of-concept. 233xvx233's work does promise "basic pvp" in its description, but the sole clip they've shared thus far doesn't feature any fighting.

Hollow Knight Silksong Online Multiplayer Mod Watch on YouTube SilklessCoop Combat Footage Watch on YouTube

Meanwhile, Nek5 has shown off some battling, with a 'main' Hornet and their less saturated buddy jumping around near a spear-chucking foe, but I can't make out the second Hornet actually landing any hits or taking damage. Regardless, even being able to bounce around with your mate's pretty impressive at this stage.

In terms of setup, SilklessCoop relies on the BepInEx modding framework and a server utility being hosted on GitHub. Judging by the comments section, getting a server up and running for you and your friend can be as tricky a task as playing Skong, even with the description's instructions. Given that, I'd maybe steer clear for now or take it slow if you're a relative modding novice.

As you'd expect at this early stage, the modder also notes some teething issues, like disconnecting mid-session leaving "unmoving duplicates" of Hornet that only disappear when you chance scenes, plus some attack animations going a bit weird. They're also planning to flesh it out with better sync, an arrow to indicate when one of your duo wanders off sceen, and "public servers hosted by me". Though, they do describe that last one as "scary + expensive", which makes it sound like more of a maybe.

The instructions for 233xvx233's mod are a bit more brief and vague, with a BepInEx folder only mentioned in passing amid some game file messing around and the pinging up of an interface that'll allow folks with an official Steam copy of Skong to set up and join a session together.

There's a good chance the folks behind the original Hollow Knight's multiplayer mod might be working on their own more advanced version of co-op Skong, but until then it's cool to see other modders experimenting early doors.