The 1.0.3.1 update targeted several underlying structural errors that directly hindered player progression, speedrunning tactics, and combat flow.
: Fixed a soft-lock occurring if you used the Dream Nail during their "defeat" animation .
The mechanical changes implemented in this build fundamentally stabilized the environment for both casual explorers and competitive speedrunners. Feature / Mechanic Pre-Patch 1.0.3.1 Behavior Post-Patch 1.0.3.1 Rectification
Hollow Knight 1.0.3.1 live for all players - Steam Community hollow knight 1031 upd
Balancing
: Speedrunners utilizing the in-game timer noticed significant drift and inaccurate calculation of total playtime. Patch 1.0.3.1 recalibrated the game's clock for exact tracking.
Released as a critical stability patch, version 1.0.3.1 was less about new content and more about ensuring the knight's journey through Hallownest felt as precise as intended. It addressed several "ghost" bugs that had haunted early speedrunners and casual explorers alike. Feature / Mechanic Pre-Patch 1
Map icon for the Shade incorrectly vanished or drifted from its true death zone.
Released shortly after the game's initial release on PC via Steam, patch 1.0.3.1 focused on improving the overall stability of the game and correcting minor oversights that could hinder player progression or create unexpected issues. As detailed in the Steam Community announcement by Team Cherry, this update was primarily a "bug fix" patch, but it included several notable adjustments to mechanics and quality-of-life features. Key Changes and Bug Fixes in Patch 1.0.3.1
* For more information on the most recent, large-scale updates, you can read the 2026 update patch notes on Hollow Knight's wiki or the 2026 Steam Deck support announcement from G2A . It addressed several "ghost" bugs that had haunted
For the general community, this update significantly reduced frustration. Fixing the transformed late-game platforming zones from erratic trial-and-error segments into pure tests of player skill. Furthermore, correcting the wall-sliding Nail hitboxes granted aggressive players the freedom to safely take down structural threats like Mantis Warriors and Primal Aspids from vertical positions.
While version 1.0.3.1 is an older foundational update, its mechanical integrity paved the way for modern developments. Recently, Team Cherry leveraged the rock-solid foundation of the original title to deploy a massive engine overhaul via Hollow Knight Public Beta v1.5.12301 . This late-stage modernization brought 21:9 ultrawide monitors and 16:10 aspect ratios into native support, updated the platform to the modern Unity Input System, and integrated code optimizations directly back-ported from Hollow Knight: Silksong .
: The annoying teleporting Soul Twisters in the Sanctum had an issue where their homing magic projectiles got stuck permanently in mid-air. The fix ensured the entities properly decay or explode upon contacting environments. Complete Patch Feature Overview Feature Category Bug Description / Adjustment Structural Impact Localization Added a language menu on the initial game launch sequence. Smooth onboarding for global players. UI & Systems
, making it significantly more powerful for low-health playstyles. Uumuu Battle