Shovel Knight developers have revealed that Mina the Hollower is going to be their ‘make or break’ moment.
A new report by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reveals that Shovel Knight dev, Yacht Club Games, might be in trouble if their next title, Mina the Holler, doesn’t perform well. For those unaware, Mina the Hollower was delayed indefinitely last month, just weeks before its previous release date.
Mina the Hollower’s Performance Can Make or Break It for Them
The new report first describes how the developers invited Schreier over to showcase their title, only for the conference room to fill with smoke. The game was still demoed after, to show where the developers stand at the moment and why they have to delay the game further.
The report reveals that only in the past weeks has the game reached a point where the Shovel Knight developers were able to play all the content from start to end. During this process, they have identified several areas that need improvement. However, they have only identified all the problems and will need some more time to fix them.
Shovel Knight developers can only remain independent if Mina the Hollower is a success. The dev studio has already undergone downsizing and now has only 15 employees left, with finances at a low point as well. The co-founder, Sean Velasco, has stated, “It’s make-or-break for sure,” adding that if the game sells 500,000 copies, they are golden; if it sells 200,000, they are still happy; however, if they sell only 100,000, that could be a problem.
In other news, here are the best indie game deals for Holiday 2025 on Steam and consoles. Additionally, here are the nominees for the Indie Game Awards 2025. What are your thoughts on Shovel Knight dev’s fate depending on Mina the Hollower’s performance? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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