Since Shovel Knight became a hit in 2014, gamers have seen a huge influx of indie games with the word “knight” in their names: Hollow Knight, Gryphon Knight, Portal Knights, Knights and Bikes, Knight Simulator, Fight Knight, Knight Club, Floppy Knights, Type Knight, Knight Terrors, and Knights are just some of the better-known examples.
Its a trend that stands in stark contrast to all the “War” games (God of, Gears of, World at, Total) and “Dead” games (Never, Rising, Red Redemption, Walking, Left 4, Island, or Alive) of the early 2010s. Gaming isn’t trying as hard to prove it’s “not for kids” anymore. Levity, altruism, and sincere goodness are fashionable again, and Shovel Knight might have helped make that happen.
Source: N4G PC Shovel Knight devs 'flattered' at the notion that they started the indie game 'knight trend'