By December 2011 Wainwright and Ronson were finished mixing the album with Tom Elmhirst and several publications included Out of the Game on their lists of most anticipated releases for 2012.

Wainwright claimed that Out of the Game contained the "poppiest", most "danceable" music in his repertoire to date and was influenced by the birth of his daughter and the death of his mother, Kate McGarrigle.

[9] Sean Michaels of The Guardian reported in December 2011 that Wainwright and Ronson were mixing the album after less than two months of recording and that Out of the Game would be released in the spring of 2012.

He also revealed that guest artists appearing on the album included his sister Martha Wainwright, Sean Lennon, the alternative rock band Wilco guitarist Nels Cline and Thomas "Doveman" Bartlett.

[17] In March 2011, Wainwright performed "Out of the Game" at the Hope North Ping-Pong Ball, a fundraiser for the Uganda boarding school dedicated to educating orphans and young refugees.

[22][23] Several days later, Drowned in Sound released an exclusive album "teaser" video offering music samples, photo shoot footage, and clips featuring Wainwright and Ronson.

[35] His personas include a "debonaire" man wearing a fedora, a woman (Wainwright in drag), and a "drugged-out Sonic Youth-obsessed dope fiend".

The music video received mixed critical reception; many reviewers offered commentary on Wainwright's use of drag and noted that his characters appear to have sex with one another.

[37] Rich Lopez of the Dallas Voice thought Carter "anchored" the music video and found Wainwright's performance "distracting".

[48] Additional concerts are scheduled in Europe, including Belgium, Sweden, Norway and France during late November and early December.

"[16] Wainwright wrote "Welcome to the Ball" years prior to the album's release for a possible Broadway musical and described the composition as "completely wild and orchestral".

[13] "Montauk", addressed to Wainwright's daughter about the home in the New York town of the same name where he and his partner live, has been described as having a "lazy, infectious carousel-like" rhythm.

[23][50] Following the premiere of "Montauk", which received mixed reception, several reviewers noted the rolling arpeggio-driven, ballad nature of the song contrary to Wainwright's description of the album as pop music.

[60] In the April 2012 issue of German Rolling Stone magazine reviewer Arne Willander concluded about the album: "The sheer brilliance leaves us exhausted: We have listened to a genius.