Main Facts
The gaming landscape is once again buzzing with speculation regarding the future of South Korean developer Neowiz and its breakout hit, Lies of P. Following a trail of digital breadcrumbs left by recent corporate filings, it appears that the publisher is gearing up to officially unveil the heavily anticipated follow-up to its acclaimed Victorian-inspired Soulslike.
According to public filings uncovered via the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), publisher Neowiz has officially filed a trademark for "Wonders of O." The documentation categorizes the filing under several standard entertainment and software classifications, notably encompassing "virtual reality game software" alongside traditional video game formats. While trademark filings are not always a definitive guarantee of a finished product’s exact title, the timing, nomenclature, and context strongly point toward this being the official title of the Lies of P sequel currently in active development.
The title itself serves as a thinly veiled homage to L. Frank Baum’s classic American fairy tale, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This creative trajectory aligns precisely with the universe Neowiz established in Lies of P. Much like the first game re-contextualized Carlo Collodi’s 1883 dark fantasy novel The Adventures of Pinocchio into a blood-soaked, automaton-infested Gothic nightmare, Wonders of O is widely expected to drag Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion through a similarly grim, punishing, and atmospheric Soulslike gauntlet.
The connection was essentially confirmed by the developers themselves during the closing moments of the original game. Lies of P concluded with a dramatic post-credits cinematic teasing a mysterious female figure wearing ruby slippers, clicking her heels together in a desolate, rain-slicked setting. This not-so-subtle nod set the internet ablaze with theories, virtually guaranteeing that the studio’s next venture would venture down the Yellow Brick Road.
Chronology of Events
To understand how the industry arrived at the "Wonders of O" discovery, it is essential to trace the timeline of Lies of P’s development, post-launch support, and the studio’s recent institutional shifts:
- September 2023: Lies of P launches globally on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Developed by Round 8 Studio and published by Neowiz, the game receives generally positive reviews—highlighted by critics praising its tight combat, immaculate atmosphere, and unique take on the classic puppet narrative—and goes on to sell over a million copies within its first month.
- Late 2023 – Throughout 2024: Buoyed by strong commercial performance and critical acclaim, Neowiz officially confirms that a Lies of P sequel is in development. The team begins mapping out future expansions and overarching narrative arcs.
- Late 2024: Critical reception to subsequent content updates, including the game’s celebrated expansions and DLC packages (such as the Overture expansion), elevates the studio’s reputation within the action-RPG community. Industry observers note a distinct maturation in the development team’s design philosophy, raising expectations for the upcoming sequel.
- Early 2025 (Weeks Prior to Trademark Discovery): The developer formerly known as Round 8 undergoes a strategic rebrand, officially changing its studio name to Nough. To mark the occasion, the newly minted Nough releases a mini-documentary detailing its history, its ambitions, and the ongoing development of the Lies of P sequel. In the documentary, studio leads express a bold ambition: to craft some of the world’s greatest action video games.
- Present Day: Eurogamer and other industry sleuths discover the EUIPO trademark filing for "Wonders of O," linking the new intellectual property directly to Neowiz, Nough, and the established dark fairy-tale universe.
Supporting Data and Context
The appetite for dark, twisted adaptations of classic literature has never been higher, and Lies of P proved that developer Nough possesses the technical prowess and artistic vision to pull it off.
Critical Reception and Commercial Milestones
When Lies of P debuted, it was often compared favorably to FromSoftware’s legendary Bloodborne, largely due to its Belle Époque architectural design, visceral melee mechanics, and oppressive atmosphere. Major publications scored the title solidly in the mid-to-high 70s and 80s; for instance, PC Gamer awarded the game a respectable 74%, praising its combat systems while critiquing minor balancing issues. However, the release of subsequent post-launch content and expansions—particularly the critically lauded Overture DLC—demonstrated that the development team was rapidly refining its craft. By late 2024, industry analysts and critics alike were describing the studio not just as a competent newcomer, but as a premier voice in the Soulslike genre.
The Thematic Synergy of Fairy Tales
On paper, pairing Pinocchio with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz makes brilliant thematic sense. Both source materials hail from the late Victorian and Edwardian eras—Collodi’s Pinocchio was published in 1883, while Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz debuted in 1900.
While modern popular culture often views these stories through the lens of sanitized mid-20th-century Hollywood adaptations (most notably Disney’s 1940 animated film and MGM’s 1939 classic musical), the original literary works are surprisingly strange, macabre, and morally complex. The original Oz books feature decapitations, dangerous beasts, fatal landscapes, and body horror that lend themselves remarkably well to the grimdark sensibilities of the Soulslike genre. Players who found themselves emotionally and physically drained by the puppet boss fights of Krat can now look forward to facing twisted, biomechanical, or corrupted interpretations of iconic characters like the Cowardly Lion or the Scarecrow.
Official Responses and Developer Insights
While Neowiz and the newly renamed studio Nough have yet to issue a formal, detailed press release explicitly detailing the gameplay mechanics of "Wonders of O," the leadership team has been increasingly vocal about their overarching ambitions for the franchise.
In recent promotional materials and the aforementioned studio documentary, key directors at Nough emphasized that they view Lies of P merely as a stepping stone. The director famously remarked, "I will not disappoint you when it comes to the sequel," a sentiment that has resonated deeply with fans burned by empty promises in the AAA and AA gaming spaces. Following the release and critical triumph of the game’s recent downloadable content, even historically skeptical critics have expressed full confidence in the studio’s ability to stick the landing on a multi-game franchise.
Furthermore, the inclusion of "virtual reality game software" in the EUIPO trademark filing has sparked intense debate. Whether this indicates a dedicated VR spin-off, hybrid support, or simply a legal precaution to protect the trademark across all possible digital entertainment mediums remains to be seen. Given the high-fidelity, fast-paced nature of modern Soulslike combat, a full VR adaptation would be a monumental technological undertaking, though it certainly points to an expanding corporate vision for the IP.
Implications for the Industry and Fans
The emergence of the "Wonders of O" trademark carries significant implications for both Neowiz and the broader action-RPG market:
- Expansion of a Shared Universe: Rather than treating Lies of P as a one-off success, Neowiz is clearly positioning itself to build a cohesive, interconnected dark fairy-tale cinematic universe. If Wonders of O successfully bridges the narrative gap hinted at by the post-credits scene, it could pave the way for other classic public-domain stories to receive the gritty, combat-heavy treatment.
- Solidification of Nough as a Tier-One Studio: Following its corporate rebrand from Round 8, the team at Nough is under immense pressure to prove that Lies of P was not a lightning-in-a-bottle fluke. Delivering a stellar sequel based in the Land of Oz will solidify their reputation alongside established masters of the action genre.
- Heightened Anticipation for Upcoming Showcases: With the marketing machine slowly ramping up and official trademarks locked in, industry insiders expect Neowiz to provide a formal teaser trailer or gameplay reveal for "Wonders of O" in the near future. Major upcoming gaming showcases—such as Summer Game Fest or Tokyo Game Show—are prime candidates for the grand unveiling.
As fans eagerly await official word from Neowiz, one thing is certain: the Yellow Brick Road is about to get a lot bloodier. Prepare your weapons, sharpen your blades, and steel yourself—because the horrors waiting at the end of the rainbow will likely require every ounce of skill learned on the streets of Krat.
