How Did "Solo Leveling:Arise" Top the Charts in 105 Countries Worldwide in May?

Why has "Solo Leveling: Arise" garnered so much attention and seen such a stable surge in revenue since its launch? Let's explore the secrets to the game's success.

Release Time : 2024-05-28

Last updated : 2025-06-12

How did "Solo Leveling:Arise" manage to top the charts in 105 countries worldwide right after its release in May?

On May 8th, the Korean gaming company Netmarble released a new game adaptation of the manga Solo Leveling: Arise, available on both mobile and PC platforms.

According to FoxData, on its first day of release, the game topped the free game charts on iOS in 105 markets, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

Free Game Charts of America, Japan, and South Korea on May 8th

Since its release on May 8th, the game has consistently ranked in the top 10 on both the iOS and Google Play download and revenue charts.

Download and Revenue charts from May 8th till now

Given this trend, it's clear that despite being released on May 8th, the game will successfully make it into the top 10 for both revenue and downloads for the month of May.

Why has this novel-to-manga adaptation game from Korean company Netmarble garnered so much attention and seen such a stable surge in revenue since its launch?

Let's explore the secrets to the game's success!

IP Sparks Global Attention

Solo Leveling: Arise has garnered significant success primarily due to its globally renowned IP. This game, adapted from a novel and manga by South Korea's Netmarble, owes much of its popularity to the traction gained from its manga adaptation. The manga 나 혼자만 레벨업 (Solo Leveling: Arise) has been serialized since 2018, amassing 4.8 billion views on the Korean webtoon platform KakaoPage alone, and over 14.3 billion global views. Even today, it holds the second spot in real-time rankings.

The game was live-streamed globally on its second day of release, attracting 14.3 billion views. Pre-registration numbers for the game reached 15 million before its launch.

The game faithfully recreates 99% of the original IP content, blending manga and animation to capture the hearts of the original manga's audience. Players take on the role of the protagonist Sung Jin-Woo, reliving the original storyline and experiencing the thrill of leveling up and battling monsters firsthand. The art style remains true to the original, while the design of visuals and combat effects strives for a dazzling, spectacular feel to enhance player enjoyment.

Global Marketing Strategy

Solo Leveling: Arise primarily adopts a global paid ads strategy.

Target Countries

Similar to the global reach of the Solo Leveling webtoon, the advertising campaign for Solo Leveling: Arise is not confined to Asia, where the IP culture is most resonant. Instead, it spans a wide array of key countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, Thailand, and Canada. Leveraging its globally recognized IP, the campaign aims to reach audiences worldwide.

Timing

The marketing campaign began warming up in mid-March, with a significant concentration of advertisements released in the two weeks leading up to the game's launch. The peak of advertising activity occurred on May 7th, the day before the global release. Recently, the frequency of new ads has slowed down, transitioning to a more stable and consistent pace to support the game's long-term, steady operation.

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Advertising Materials

The majority of advertising materials are video-based, accounting for over 70% of the content. These videos primarily feature game animations and live combat scenes, faithfully recreating iconic battle moments from the IP. The focus is on highlighting the exhilarating combat experience to attract fans of the IP and players who prefer action-packed games. The target audience is clearly defined.

Regional Customization

Notably, Solo Leveling: Arise employs differentiated strategies for various regional markets. For instance:

Japan: The marketing materials include endorsements from the original anime voice actors and live gameplay demonstrations, effectively appealing to Japanese users.

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Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan: In addition to the standard game content and IP elements, the campaign features materials with local key opinion leaders (KOLs), precisely targeting the preferences of users in these regions.

👉Click here to see more of the advertising materials used for this game in different countries and regions.

Paid advertisements have played an indispensable role in the explosive popularity of this game.

👉Read More Effective Paid Advertising Strategies here.

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Amanda Lamarr

App Marketing Manager

As the head of App Marketing at FoxData, Amanda is keen on supporting app developers and marketers in achieving global success, no matter their budget.

She is passionate about rock climbing and video games.

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