Ari Gibson

Co-founder of Team Cherry and artist/co-director of Hollow Knight and Silksong

Ari Gibson at a glance

Known for: Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight: Silksong
Based in: Adelaide, Australia
Indie since: 2013
Active products: Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight: Silksong

Facts checked 2026-10-22

About Ari Gibson

Ari Gibson is an Australian artist from Adelaide who co-founded Team Cherry with William Pellen. He is the main artist and a co-director of Hollow Knight and its sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.

The pair conceived Hollow Knight from a 2013 Ludum Dare jam game called Hungry Knight. Gibson's hand-drawn sketches were scanned straight into the engine, giving Hallownest its distinctive look. A 2014 Kickstarter raised more than A$57,000, and Hollow Knight launched in 2017 to acclaim. It has since sold more than 15 million copies and is often listed among the greatest games ever made.

Team Cherry stayed tiny for Silksong: Gibson and Pellen co-directed, with technical director Jasmine Vine, and Gibson again drew most of the art. Silksong finally released on 4 September 2025 after years of anticipation and sold over seven million copies by December 2025. Free expansions are planned from 2026.

Products by Ari Gibson

Hollow Knight

store.steampowered.com

Hand-drawn Metroidvania about a nameless knight exploring the fallen insect kingdom of Hallownest.

15M+ copies sold

Hollow Knight: Silksong

store.steampowered.com

Sequel starring Hornet, set in the new kingdom of Pharloom.

7M+ copies sold

Timeline

2013 — Made Hungry Knight at the Ludum Dare game jam, the seed of Hollow Knight.
2014 — Raised over A$57,000 from 2,158 backers on Kickstarter.
2017 — Released Hollow Knight, followed by four free expansions.
2019 — Announced Hollow Knight: Silksong as a standalone sequel.
2025 — Released Silksong on 4 September; it sold 7M+ copies by December.

How Ari builds

Keep the team tiny and take the time the game needs.
Reward curiosity with secrets and a world players can get lost in.
Tight, responsive controls come first.

Ari Gibson FAQ

Who is Ari Gibson?

Ari Gibson is an Australian artist from Adelaide who co-founded Team Cherry with William Pellen. He is the main artist and a co-director of Hollow Knight and its sequel, Hollow Knight: Silksong.

Who made Hollow Knight?

Hollow Knight was made by Team Cherry, a tiny studio in Adelaide, Australia, founded by artist Ari Gibson and designer William Pellen. It released in 2017.