The Bloodborne-inspired action RPG stunned fans in 2023, and now seems to be taking a big jump in the sequel. A job posting reveals Neowiz is looking for game designers with experience building multiplayer games, and additionally suggests dungeon instances may also play a part in Lies of P 2. This would be a significant change of direction for the surprise hit. The original title, developed by Round8, has no multiplayer features at all—making it a rarity even under its own publisher. A fact the developers were keenly aware of in the development process.
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“Neowiz has a long history of developing and operating consistently successful live service games; our experience developing single-player console games is relatively nascent,” publishing director Wonmo Kim told GamesIndustry.biz in 2023. “So, our goal with Lies of P was to establish Neowiz as a publisher with a studio capable of creating great single-player console games.”
PvP action is standard fare for game’s in the genre. Dark Souls-style invasions have been present in all of FromSoftware’s catalogue, and gamers largely know what to expect when stepping into those games. Instanced dungeons, on the other hand, would be a total change of pace. There’s nothing more to speculate from than this listing, but it’s easy to imagine a system similar to Bloodborne’s Chalice Dungeons. Allowing players to team up and take on dungeons filled with optional bosses and content would inject some sorely needed life in the world of Soulslike multiplayer variety.
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All of this information comes hot off the heels of the reveal of the multiplayer-focused Elden Ring: Nightreign at the 2024 Game Awards. That game will allow up to three players to drop into an alternate version of The Lands Between’s Limgrave and fight hordes of simple enemies, a huge array of minibosses, and eight major bosses in total. While not an exact one-to-one comparison with Lies of P, the huge reaction to that game makes it clear fans are ready for more cooperative flexibility in the Soulslike genre. Lords of the Fallen (2023) received high praise for its multiplayer efforts, but even that was a simple improvement on a tired formula where friends are summoned into your world, acting more like minions in your adventure than genuine companions.
Let’s hope Lies of P learns from the titles before it. Netcode issues have long plagued the genre, often making multiplayer feel like an afterthought than a viable way to experience Soulslike titles. If Round8 wants to make fans really happy, aiming for a truly seamless experience with genuine co-op progression would be the way to do it. Something that feels just as responsive and fun as the solo mode. No one wants to kill a boss, leave the game, join their partner’s world, and be forced do it all over again. It’s not hard to see. The soaring success of Elden Ring’s seamless co-op mod might as well be a bright red neon sign pointing developers in the right direction.
