Among the Korean IPs that have left a mark on the collective imagination in recent years, Solo Leveling undoubtedly holds a place of prominence. Originally conceived as a fantasy light novel by the creative mind of Chugong, the work quickly won over the Korean audience before expanding as a manhwa – also released in webtoon format – and eventually as an anime, becoming one of the most prominent global phenomena. As many other great successful series have taught us over the decades, the natural evolution of such a work was only a matter of time. And so, Solo Leveling has finally made the leap into the world of video games.
Before moving forward, however, it is worth taking a brief step back to provide some narrative context for those who may not be familiar with Chugong’s creation.
Solo Leveling tells a story that begins ten years after the sudden appearance of the Gates – portals that connect our dimension to others inhabited by extremely dangerous creatures. A global threat, contained only thanks to the constant efforts of the Hunters: individuals who, following the emergence of the Gates, have acquired supernatural combat powers. It is thanks to the Hunters that humanity is able to fend off the advance of monsters and close the Gates that continue to open across the world.
Sung Jinwoo, a young man from Seoul, is one of many Korean Hunters. Among them all, he is by far the weakest – so much so that he has earned the nickname “the weakest weapon of humanity”. Yet this has not stopped our hero from doing his duty: entering Gates day after day alongside other Hunters, exploring the dungeons within, and bravely facing monsters far stronger than himself. Everything changes, however, when an unexpected event during yet another dungeon raid seemingly costs him his life, only for him to awaken in a hospital a few hours later. He soon discovers that he has acquired powers which, if properly trained and enhanced – just like in a classic role-playing game – could make him the most powerful Hunter of all. The only one who might be able to save humanity from the looming and terrifying threats ahead.
With narrative premises like these, it was only a matter of time before Solo Leveling leveled up and entered the video game world with a full-fledged reimagining. But working on such a renowned IP without lowering the bar for quality is no easy feat. A challenge that might have discouraged many – though not Netmarble, who embraced it and brought to life a game worthy of the original series. Solo Leveling: ARISE.
A South Korean giant that recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, Netmarble took on the responsibility of translating the visual spectacle and narrative intensity of Solo Leveling into a single-player action RPG – already available on mobile stores and PC. Excaliber spoke with the development team to understand what it means to give video game form to a global phenomenon without betraying its spirit, shedding light on the meticulous work behind the scenes, both in faithfully adapting the original work and in delivering a polished, accessible gameplay experience for a broad and diverse audience of players.
FAITHFULNESS AS A STARTING POINT (BUT NOT THE DESTINATION)
Solo Leveling: ARISE faithfully retraces the original story created by Chugong, following key events, featuring memorable battles against enemies like Hwang Dongsuk and Kang Taeshik, and giving familiar voices to the main characters thanks to the involvement of the anime’s voice actors. However, a strict and literal adaptation of the source material could have easily turned into a creative cage for the team behind Solo Leveling: ARISE. Worse still, it could have become a content trap, limiting the game’s overall scope. Netmarble’s commitment during development, therefore, went far beyond surface-level fidelity.
Fresh and original content has been woven into the game, all under the direct supervision of Chugong. This includes the introduction of new Hunters, each with their own backstories; intriguing and insightful expansions on secondary characters already known and loved by fans; and the addition of new specters that enrich Jinwoo’s shadow army, which becomes central to the story later on. Everything has been carefully tailored to suit the video game format – an extremely delicate balance that only a few adaptations manage to achieve without compromising coherence or impact. Even the smallest details, such as why Cha Hae-In is sensitive to smells or the backstory of Yoo Jinho and his guild, have been revisited and expanded to make every corner of the game world feel more vibrant and alive.
It is not just the storytelling that shines. The effort to respectfully adhere to the original series while integrating the qualities needed for commercial success in the gaming world is also evident in three other key aspects of the production.
The most immediately striking aspect is undoubtedly the visual presentation. Art style, atmosphere, environments, and character design – every element has been crafted and blended in a way that feels instantly familiar to those who enjoyed both the manhwa and the two anime seasons produced by A-1 Pictures. While such results might seem unsurprising given the technological advancements in the industry today, achieving this level of consistency across all platforms is anything but trivial. Solo Leveling: ARISE delivers the same content on mobile and PC, which required significant optimization to avoid major discrepancies between the mobile versions, especially popular in Asian markets, and the one for PC, more common in Western regions. As mentioned earlier, everything revolved around striking a delicate balance – one that has yielded strong (and well-received) results.
The strengths of Solo Leveling: ARISE also stand out in its gameplay mechanics. First and foremost, it is important to highlight that this is a free-to-play (F2P) title – but with a very deliberate structural choice: it is designed as a single-player experience. A bold move, especially considering that most successful F2P games tend to revolve around competitive online play. Yet it is a choice perfectly aligned with the team’s vision. According to Netmarble, this approach was key to capturing the essence of the original work: making Jinwoo’s constant sense of growth truly tangible, delivering spectacular combat sequences that rival those of the anime, and preserving the narrative and thematic atmosphere of the Solo Leveling universe. All of these elements would have inevitably been diluted in a competitive multiplayer context. Moreover, this choice also allowed the team to build a more sustainable and less intrusive monetization model.
As is well known, F2P games must rely on a monetization system based on in-game purchases or subscriptions. Solo Leveling: ARISE is no exception, but it implements this model in a balanced way. Unlike many multiplayer titles where microtransactions become essential to keep up with other players, Netmarble’s game takes a softer approach: players can purchase passes or subscribe to monthly plans, but these are never required to progress. As the team explained, the entire adventure can be completed using virtual resources accumulated through regular gameplay, including valuable free tickets. Even the most coveted items, like Artifacts, can be earned by taking on high-level dungeons and challenges – without the need to spend real money. The result? Purchases are not necessary to unlock the game, but serve instead to enrich the experience for those who choose to invest a little more.
All these design choices would have meant little without gameplay capable of supporting them. In an action RPG like Solo Leveling: ARISE, where fast-paced combat is one of the core pillars, it was essential to ensure a smooth, responsive, and satisfying experience across all platforms. An ambitious goal – especially given how different user interaction can be on mobile compared to PC or console. To achieve this, the team invested over two years of development refining the control system, aiming for precise and consistent responsiveness on every device. The result is gameplay that adapts naturally to players’ habits, without compromising on intensity or spectacle.
A GLOBAL SUCCESS, SHAPED BY A SHARED VISION
While aesthetics and gameplay are two pillars of the game’s success, another key factor is undoubtedly marketing – an often overlooked element, yet crucial in determining a product’s global impact.
While many publishers adopt region-specific strategies, adapting communication and content to local preferences, Netmarble chose a different path: a unified global strategy, with no distinctions between Eastern and Western markets. Confident in the popularity of the IP, the quality of the final product, and the support of partners like D&C Media and Aniplex, the team set out to build a strong, cohesive identity aimed at engaging an international audience.
The only exception to this vision occurred during the pre-launch phase, with localized testing in Thailand and Canada – two markets chosen for practical reasons: the former for its strong interest in the IP, and the latter to assess the technical performance of an action game on a broader scale.
The results did not take long to arrive. Global pre-registrations surpassed 15 million – far beyond Netmarble’s expectations. Once released, the game gathered hundreds of thousands of positive reviews on Google Play and the App Store, and even appeared on giant screens in Times Square and Shinjuku. This international exposure paved the way for a series of high-profile collaborations. The first has already taken shape: a partnership with i-dle, the popular K-POP group with over 13 million Instagram followers, which brought two of its stars – Miyeon and Shuhua – into the game as Hunters ready to fight alongside Jinwoo. And more collaborations are already in the works, set to further enrich the Solo Leveling: ARISE universe with new content and creative crossovers.
In light of the results achieved, Excaliber asked Netmarble what advice they would offer to studios working on similar projects – specifically, those looking to adapt well-established and much-loved IPs. The response was clear, outlined in three fundamental principles. First: choose a genre and gameplay style that enhance the essence of the original work. Second: stay true to its narrative core, while having the courage to expand it with original content. Third: involve the original creators, true guardians of the source material, to ensure consistency and depth in the final experience.
With these insights, our journey behind the scenes of Solo Leveling: ARISE comes to an end. A project that, balancing faithfulness and innovation, has successfully transformed one of the most beloved IPs of recent years into an ambitious and engaging video game experience. As we await its release on Steam and consoles – and with new announcements already on the horizon – one can only wonder how far Jinwoo and Netmarble will go from here.
