So, here's maybe an odd question, concerning the update

[Rei Scarlette]

I know most of you guys are all excited about the update and can hardly wait, but here I've got a different question entirely. Is there a way to prevent myself from getting the update until a later time when I am ready for it, or to somehow downgrade back to a previous version? I ask because generally Steam wants you to install any updates before launching a game. My reason for wanting to do this is because I am in the middle of a run right now, working on the rest of the achievements, and I have zero interest in big changes being applied while I'm halfway through the game, which will totally throw off my planning. Especially if I were to assume it will change the requirements for 100% due to the new content.

It's a strange question, I know, but this is the first time I've actually wanted to (temporarily) decline an update and continue playing, so I'm not sure about how that would actually be done. I've definitely read before about playing on older versions of certain games, but I can't remember how it's done. I thought about playing offline, but for this game in particular I've heard people weren't getting their achievements unlocked properly while offline, so I want to avoid that if possible.

If worst comes to worst, I'll just deal with it, trash the run I'm working on and start from the beginning, but I'd like to not do that.

[SenMithrarin85]

You can't stop steam updating a game if the client is online. Either it updates in the background or the next time the game is run. Only offline mode will block updates, but in a lot of games (not sure about this one) achievements don't unlock and/or sync.

They really need to follow GoG's example; make updates OPTIONAL and allow users to rollback or stay on older builds.

Having said that I don't think the new content affects the core game at all. Least not for existing achievements.

[Rei Scarlette]

Yeah, definitely agree with you there. It's been such a long time since I read about playing old versions, I have no idea if it was accurate or if it still works (if it ever did). Wish I could remember where I came across that info before so I could have a look and try it out now, but I never thought I'd actually need it.

I mean, for multiplayer games or games with leaderboards, I can understand forced updates. But it's just a pain when it comes to singleplayer games where your gameplay isn't connected to anyone else, and you've still gotta update no matter what.

I wonder, could it possibly work to go into offline mode, start up the game, then go online while the game is running? I wonder if the achievements would still be broken in that case? Bit worried about trying it out, just to find out I'll have to do it all over again anyways because it didn't work.

Though, if you don't think the new content will affect the achievements, that's a bit more reassuring. If it won't mess with my achievement run, then I won't mind grabbing the update at all. Hopefully that is the case.

[256MB of SPAM]

Id have to a gree with SenMithrarin85, i think the new content is meant to compliment and not necessarily effect the core content in the game, meaning it might not affect the 100% rating or achievements.

But i can see completely where you're coming from, so i do think its probably best to turn off auto-update and maybe listen to a bit of the feedback on it a few days after it drops. You might get a concrete answer then.

Id personally think it'd be nice for that content to appear late game. I finished the game a week ago, and even though im still going to boot it up to fight the bosses and have a look at the other stuff, ive pretty muched closed the book on this game until theres say, a DLC with new areas. But i wouldnt have said no to a tiny bit of extra padding near the end of the game, to squeeze a few more hours out of it. ;)

[Leth]

You can set your beta properties - for Hollow Knight - to 'public-beta' for now. We'll leave it as 1.0.3.7 for now. =)

[Rei Scarlette]

Cool, thank you very much for the response! That solves all of my concerns. I'll get this run finished and I look forward to trying out the new update soon!

[Kein Zantezuken]

Hidden Dreams does not affect percentage

[GIBINN]

This dlc is not a big deal, I have already consumed every contents within 50min.. you don't need to worry about it.

[Rei Scarlette]

Yeah, from what I'm hearing the changes shouldn't majorly affect my run if I did get the update right now - it's just a personal preference of mine to not update in the middle of a run, and take it all the way through first. It just feels better to me, but I understand it's a weird thing to ask. But in either case, all of the answers here have been very helpful. It is good to know that I'd be pretty much fine with the update, and also very good to know I also have to choice to continue playing the prevous version as well.

Thank you to everyone who replied here.