Solo Leveling: ARISE: interview with Executive Director Seong-Keon Jin

At JeuMobi, we had the chance to interview Seong-Keon Jin, the Executive Director in charge of the recently launched Solo Leveling:ARISE. During the interview, he shared some previously unpublished information about Netmarble's latest hit game. Inspiration, roadmap and loyalty to the webtoon were all scrutinised. Here's a transcript of Seong-Keon Jin's answers, exclusively for JeuMobi.com.

How long have you been developing Solo Leveling:ARISE?

We've been working on this title for several years, ever since we announced that Netmarble would adapt Solo Leveling into a game in 2021. The biggest challenge has been to create a game that can satisfy a wide range of gamers from all over the world, in today's global market which is full of games.

When we were developing Solo Leveling:ARISE, we constantly had the following three issues in mind:

⦁ Does the game fully reflect the immersive story of the original series?

⦁ Does the game feature stunning graphics and incredible cutscenes?

⦁ Is the game ready to be presented to players as an action-RPG that offers a fun gaming experience?

We hope that since the game's release, Solo Leveling:ARISE has positively met these expectations.

How does Solo Leveling: Arise differ from other mobile games on the market?

In Solo Leveling:ARISE, users can experience the immersive and engaging story of the Solo Leveling licence, Sung Jinwoo's journey as a player, his fellow hunters and the battles of the Army of Shadows, all at the same time - and this is what makes Solo Leveling:ARISE unique.

In particular, we've been working on the various gameplay features, such as QTEs, counter-attacks and dodging, to deliver innovative and more enjoyable gameplay for action-RPG fans.

Is the game accessible to people who have never heard of Solo Leveling?

The original Solo Leveling series has been a huge success around the world. Players of Solo Leveling:ARISE can enjoy the strong storyline of the series, with the addition of different fighting styles and quality battles.

Just as Sung Jinwoo levels up as an in-game character, getting stronger and winning against difficult enemies, players can level up, improve, and enjoy the storytelling of the original series as they play.

I think that not only fans of the original series, but all gamers, whatever their age or cultural background, will be able to immerse themselves in the game.

What are Solo Leveling:ARISE's main videogame influences?

Solo Leveling:ARISE doesn't have a specific game as a reference; instead, we've taken the good aspects of various recently released console and mobile games as references.We also looked to the fun and freshness of games based on Japanese anime.

Console action games gave us a sense of impact and speed. Souls-like games inspired us with their exciting combat and thrills.

Finally, mobile trading card games provided us with META and buff structures. So we drew inspiration from a variety of games in different genres to find elements to incorporate into Solo Leveling:ARISE.

Are you planning any characters exclusive to the game?

It's important for us to take up and develop the concept of the Solo Leveling webtoon that so many people love. We're designing the original characters created for the game, such as Emma Laurent, so that they fit in well with the webtoon, and we'll be creating unique and attractive hunters and monsters that are unique to the game.

Will the game allow us to learn more about the Solo Leveling universe?

Solo Leveling:ARISE aims to expand the universe of the original series, which is why we planned from the outset to stay true to the original story while incorporating additional storylines that take place after the original story has ended.

In particular, we've used scenes from the webtoon to best reflect the story you know. We also believe that the game can offer a refreshing experience to players who are already familiar with the original work.

To this end, we've created original stories for various characters in the game to expand the Solo Leveling universe and make the game experience more fun.

For these new stories, we work in collaboration with the original author, Chugong. We discuss the settings and the stories before we start creating them. He always gives us in-depth advice and positive feedback!

Are you planning any crossovers or collaborations with other mobile games or other licences?

I think the Solo Leveling universe is very conducive to collaborations. The story of the original webtoon features athletes or celebrities who awaken as hunters, and we're hoping to collaborate with celebrities in the real world, perhaps K-pop stars or athletes.

We're also open to collaborations with webtoons or animations from D&C Media (the owner of Solo Leveling's intellectual property), but I can't say anything specific at the moment. But if we do reach some sort of agreement, we'll share the news through official channels.

If the game is a success, are you considering a home console port?

We think the best approach is to launch the game on consoles, and we're working on that at the moment.

We're currently planning to launch the game on Steam as a first step, before bringing it to console next year.

We will strive to meet the needs of users worldwide by rapidly expanding the platforms.

What is the roadmap for Solo Leveling:ARISE?

We plan to continue incrementing the story of the original series into the game on a regular basis. We'll be updating the game with a variety of dungeons and raids suitable for an action game, focusing on Sung Jinwoo's journey to become a better hunter, while also offering immersive cutscenes and storytelling.

In addition, you'll be able to discover more Hunters, Shadows and strategic skills unique to Solo Leveling:ARISE.

According to the roadmap, guilds are planned for July. Boss raids are scheduled for October.

We will also be introducing the guild system, which was an important community element in the original series. We're going to allow players to create their own guilds and form in-game communities.

We will continue to communicate regularly about all our updates. Stay tuned so you don't miss out on any of our news!

Thank you, Mr Jin, for your insightful interview! As a reminder, Solo Leveling:ARISE was released on 8 May 2024 for PC, Android and iOS. Several Solo Leveling tips and tricks are already available on JeuMobi.com!