Lords of the Fallen Heading to PS Plus: The Gothic Soulslike Could Arrive in April

If Lords of the Fallen has been sitting in your backlog for a while, you may soon run out of excuses. As reported by The Loadout, leaker Billbil-kun has posted on Dealabs that Hexworks' soulslike will be part of the April PS Plus games, alongside Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream. Sony hasn't officially announced this month's lineup yet, so for now this is a leak, not an official statement.

Why does it matter? Because this isn't just any filler title. Lords of the Fallen launched in October 2023 and earned a place among genre fans thanks to its dark, gothic setting, its demanding combat and an interconnected map reminiscent of the classics that defined the formula. The writer at The Loadout even calls it their favorite soulslike outside of FromSoftware. A game like this landing on the subscription service could draw in plenty of players who never gave it a chance.

What you need to know

• The information comes from a leak by Billbil-kun on Dealabs, reported by The Loadout; Sony has not made an official announcement yet.
• The games tipped for April are Lords of the Fallen and Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream.
• Lords of the Fallen is a third-person soulslike from Hexworks, released in October 2023.
• It stands out for its gothic atmosphere, its tough combat and its interconnected map design.

A soulslike with its own identity

For years, the soulslike genre has lived in FromSoftware's shadow. Every new release ends up being compared to Dark Souls, Bloodborne or Elden Ring, and few come out of that comparison unscathed. Lords of the Fallen is one of the games that came closest to that bar without simply copying it: it leans into a strongly gothic tone, enemies that punish every mistake and a world that loops back on itself, with shortcuts and paths that open up as you progress.

That interconnected design is exactly what many players miss in more linear games. Exploring, getting lost, finding the shortcut that brings you back to a familiar area and feeling that the map makes sense is a core part of the genre's appeal, and according to the source, it's one of this game's strong points.

What about Sword Art Online?

The other name in the leak, Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream, targets a very different audience: anime fans and players who enjoy licensed action games. Together they make for an interesting pairing, with a demanding, grim title on one side and another aimed more at fans of a specific franchise on the other. The source doesn't go into further detail about it, so the spotlight is clearly on Lords of the Fallen.

Take leaks with a grain of salt

It's worth remembering: until Sony publishes its announcement, nothing is final. Leaks can be spot on, but they can also change at the last minute. If you were about to buy the game, it might be worth waiting a few days for confirmation.

Our take

Here at Underworld Lordz, we see this as great news, and not just because of the game's name (which hits close to home). Soulslikes are fertile ground for the competitive community and for content creators: speedruns, no-hit challenges, weird builds, blind playthroughs and boss guides. A game like this reaching a huge subscriber base means lots of people will start it at the same time, and that sparks conversation, clips and healthy competition.

For streamers, it's a clear opportunity. A game that's no longer new but is suddenly back in everyone's conversations is ideal for growing an audience: there are newcomers discovering it and veterans coming back to see it with fresh eyes. If you work in this niche, April could be a good month to prepare content in advance, as long as the leak is confirmed.

That said, we also need to be critical. Games arriving on subscription services months or years after launch is a double-edged sword: people who paid full price may feel undervalued, and the model trains many players to wait instead of supporting studios from day one. Hexworks did remarkable work, and we hope this visibility turns into recognition and not just downloads that end up half-played.

What do you think?

Have you already made your way through the gothic environments of Lords of the Fallen, or is it one of those games you keep putting off? Do you think PS Plus will give it the second life it deserves, or will it end up as just another download in your library? Drop by the team chat or our Discord and let us know: would you be up for a community challenge with this soulslike?