You're standing in the rain-slicked streets of Krat, your clockwork heart thumping against your metal ribs, wondering if you've got enough time to finish this nightmare before the subscription pulls the rug out from under you. It's a valid fear. Lies of P leaving Game Pass is one of those looming threats that every Xbox and PC subscriber has tucked in the back of their mind since the game launched as a massive day-one win for Microsoft.
Honestly, it’s one of the best "Souls-likes" ever made. Maybe the best. But because it isn't a first-party title—it’s developed by Neowiz Games and Round8 Studio—it doesn't have that "permanent resident" status that Halo or Forza enjoys. It's a guest. And guests eventually leave the party.
The reality of Game Pass is a bit like a revolving door. We’ve seen it happen with Grand Theft Auto V, Red Dead Redemption 2, and even massive hits like Hades. When a high-profile third-party game like Lies of P hits the service, the contract usually has a very specific expiration date.
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Microsoft doesn't usually shout the expiration dates from the rooftops until about two weeks before a game vanishes. It’s annoying. You're halfway through the Barren Swamp, and suddenly you see that "Leaving Soon" notification.
Historically, third-party deals on Game Pass last for either 12 months or 24 months. Lies of P launched on September 19, 2023. If the deal was for a single year, we’d already be seeing the exit signs, but Neowiz and Microsoft seem to have a tighter bond than that. Given the game’s staggering success—hitting over 7 million players on the service—it's highly likely the agreement extends into the two-year territory.
Expect the conversation around Lies of P leaving Game Pass to reach a fever pitch around September 2025.
If you haven't beaten the Nameless Puppet yet, you’re playing a dangerous game with the calendar. Most experts in the industry, including analysts from Circana (formerly NPD Group), note that high-performing titles often get extensions if the player engagement remains high. Neowiz has also confirmed a massive DLC expansion and a full sequel are in the works. Usually, publishers like to keep the base game on a subscription service right up until a sequel drops to build the fanbase.
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Why This Exit Matters More Than Most
Losing a game like Lies of P isn't like losing a random indie platformer you could finish in an afternoon. This is a 40-to-60-hour investment. If you’re a completionist going for the "Real Boy" or "Rise of P" endings, you're looking at multiple playthroughs.
The game’s technical polish is legendary. Unlike Lords of the Fallen or Steelrising, Lies of P ran like a dream on day one. This makes it a "sticky" game—one that people keep installed just to show off their HDR settings to friends. When a game has that much "prestige" value, Microsoft fights harder to keep it.
But let’s be real. The developers want to sell copies too.
Director Jiwon Choi has been very vocal about the game’s success, and at some point, the "subscription phase" of a game's lifecycle ends so the "legacy sales phase" can begin. You've seen this happen with Monster Hunter Rise. It stays for a year or two, builds a massive audience, and then leaves so that the remaining players feel the "pull" to buy it permanently during a sale.
What Happens to Your Save Data?
Good news here. Xbox is actually pretty great about this. Even after Lies of P leaves Game Pass, your save file lives in the cloud. If you decide to buy the game six months later because you miss the parry timing of the Twin Dragons Sword, you'll pick up exactly where you left off.
- Buying with the Discount: While a game is still on Game Pass, you usually get a 20% discount.
- The DLC Factor: If you buy the upcoming DLC but the base game leaves the service, you cannot play the DLC unless you buy the full game.
- Physical vs. Digital: If you buy a physical disc later, your digital Game Pass save will still work flawlessly.
There's a weird misconception that "leaving" means the game is deleted from your hard drive. It's not. It just locks. You’ll see a prompt saying "The person who bought this needs to sign in." It’s a digital paperweight until you buy a license or it magically returns to the service (which rarely happens for titles this big).
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The DLC Strategy and Subscription Longevity
Neowiz recently teased concept art for the upcoming DLC. It looks eerie—lots of snowy environments and what appears to be a ship. Usually, when a developer is about to drop a major paid expansion, they want the base game to be available to as many people as possible.
Think about it. If you have 7 million people who can play the base game for "free," you have 7 million potential customers for a $20 or $30 DLC. If you pull the game from the service right before the DLC drops, you're cutting your throat.
Because of this, I'd bet my Ergo that Lies of P stays on the service until at least the launch window of the expansion. This gives the developers a massive "installed base" of players who are already hooked and ready to spend money on more content.
Is There a Chance It Stays Forever?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Only if Microsoft buys Neowiz.
There have been rumors of Microsoft looking to acquire more Korean and Japanese studios to bolster their presence in Asia. While Neowiz is a prime candidate, there is zero concrete evidence this is happening. Until a "Project Dragon" style acquisition occurs, Lies of P remains a third-party asset. It is a line item on a balance sheet. Eventually, the cost of keeping it on the service will outweigh the number of new subscribers it's bringing in.
Actionable Steps for the "P" Player
Stop procrastinating. Seriously. If you’ve been sitting on this game because you’re scared of the difficulty, now is the time to jump in.
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1. Priority One: Finish the Main Story. Don't worry about the side quests or the cryptic riddles from the King of Riddles on your first pass. Just get through the credits. This ensures that even if the game vanishes tomorrow, you’ve experienced the core "wow" moments.
2. Watch the "Leaving Soon" Tab Like a Hawk. Microsoft updates this on the 1st and 15th of every month. It’s located at the very bottom of the Game Pass dashboard. If you see Pinocchio’s face there, you have roughly 14 days to wrap up your business.
3. Use Your Discount Now. If you know you’re going to want to play the DLC and the sequel, buy the game while it’s still on Game Pass to save that 10-20%. Once it leaves, you’re at the mercy of standard Microsoft Store sales, which can be hit or miss.
4. Plan for the DLC. The DLC is expected to bridge the gap between this game and the teased "Wizard of Oz" universe sequel. If you want to be part of that cultural moment, you need a character that is leveled up and ready to go. Don't get caught with a level 1 character when the expansion drops and the game leaves the service simultaneously.
The clock is ticking in Krat. It's not ticking fast yet, but the gears are definitely turning. Get in there, learn to parry, and finish the story before the "Play" button turns into a "Buy" button.