Neowiz, the South Korean publisher behind the breakout soulslike hit Lies of P, has filed a trademark for "Wonders of O" at the European Union Intellectual Property Office. The filing strongly suggests this is the official title for Lies of P's sequel, developed by Round 8 Studio.
The naming convention parallels the original game's structure. Lies of P drew inspiration from Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio, transforming the wooden puppet tale into a dark, mechanized soulslike set in a Victorian-era city overrun by human-like puppets. The sequel appears to follow suit by referencing L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, though the game's actual tone and narrative direction remain under wraps.
The Oz connection is deliberately literary. "Wonders of O" mirrors how Round 8 reimagined Pinocchio's father figure Geppetto as a sinister industrialist and twisted the puppet-becoming-human mythology into body-horror themes about artificial humanity and consciousness. An Oz homage likely means the studio plans similar thematic recontextualization. Rather than a whimsical family adventure, expect a darker interpretation of Dorothy's journey, Oz's strange inhabitants, and the yellow brick road's mysteries.
Lies of P launched in September 2023 and became a critical and commercial success. The game struck a specific niche: challenging boss fights and precise combat reminiscent of FromSoftware's formula, but with a distinct aesthetic wrapped around puppetry, industrial London aesthetics, and narrative choices affecting Pinocchio's humanity stat. It sold millions of copies and established Round 8 as a serious player in the soulslike space now dominated by Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne.
The sequel announcement via trademark filing is typical for major publishers managing IP internationally. These filings often precede official reveals by months or years. Neowiz likely registered "Wonders of O" to protect the name across all territories and media formats. Official announcement may come during major gaming events like Summer Game Fest, Gamescom, or The Game Awards, though publishers occasionally surprise with surprise announcements or guerrilla marketing campaigns.
For Lies of P fans, a sequel represents validation that Round 8's vision resonated beyond the hardcore soulslike audience. The game attracted players who found Elden Ring's open world overwhelming but craved From-adjacent challenge. A sequel gives the studio resources to refine its formula, expand technical scope, and potentially offer new features the original couldn't.
The trademark filing also confirms Round 8 remains committed to the literary adaptation angle rather than chasing trend-driven IP. This positions Wonders of O as another thematic deep-dive rather than a typical numbered sequel. Whether the game maintains Lies of P's Victorian London setting or relocates to Oz's Kansas plains and emerald cities remains unknown. The visual direction could shift entirely while keeping Round 8's signature difficulty and mechanical polish.
Neowiz's continued partnership with Round 8 strengthens the South Korean publisher's position in the Western market. After establishing credibility with Lies of P, securing a sequel keeps momentum building. Other soulslike competitors like Bandai Namco, Activision Blizzard, and indie publishers will watch how Wonders of O performs closely.