Although the Solo Leveling anime just premiered in 2024, the franchise has a long history, starting with the web novel in 2016 and the manhwa running from 2018 to 2021. After nearly a decade, the story has become beloved by many. However, its final arc remains the most controversial among fans.
Fans were unhappy because the epilogue shows Jinwoo traveling back 10 years in time to prevent the tragedies of the original timeline. He spends 27 years in the past fighting alone against all the Monarchs. Unfortunately, this 27-year war was never fully explored, leaving many fans unsatisfied.
That is about to change with Solo Leveling Karma, a major upcoming game in the franchise set to release in 2026. This title promises to significantly expand the ending of Solo Leveling for the better.
Solo Leveling Karma will expand the ending by diving into the 27-year Monarch War
A few years ago, fans could hardly have imagined Solo Leveling becoming one of the biggest anime franchises ever. Thanks to the anime’s huge success, the series is expanding with multiple projects, including a major game. Solo Leveling Karma won’t just retell the story. Instead, it will add new lore that the original series didn’t fully explore.
The game is set to explore the epilogue events, where fans will get a detailed look at the 27-year Monarch War. After the major decision at the series’ end, Jinwoo uses the Cup of Reincarnation to travel back in time with the goal of defeating all the Monarchs once again.
Jinwoo’s motivation is clear: he wants to save everyone who died tragically in the original timeline. But this war is far from easy. It reportedly took Jinwoo 27 years to finally win. Sadly, how he achieved this was never fully shown.
Solo Leveling Karma will change that. Fans will directly experience this war and uncover what happened between Jinwoo and the Monarchs, as well as how the conflict ultimately ended. This will make Solo Leveling’s conclusion much more complete.
The Monarch War arc remains divisive among fans
The 27-year war is definitely a controversial part of Solo Leveling’s story. Many believe it was unnecessary since Jinwoo’s original victory was satisfying enough. The time travel to save fallen characters is seen by some as a cheap way to deliver a happy ending that no one could argue with.
This approach also puts all the focus on Jinwoo, overshadowing the achievements of other Hunters and making the ending feel a bit odd. Thanks to this new game, fans might change their minds about the ending once Solo Leveling Karma launches.
The official status of Karma in Solo Leveling’s canon is still uncertain
Many fans wonder how official Solo Leveling Karma will be. It’s hard to say right now since the original author Chugong hasn’t commented. There’s also no word on whether Chugong is involved in writing the game’s story, which isn’t a great sign.
Still, the overall story idea is generally considered canon since it’s based on events from the manhwa. Whether officially confirmed or not, being able to experience the Monarch War firsthand will be exciting and engaging for fans.
Solo Leveling Karma is shaping up to be the most thrilling game for fans of the series. While the franchise has had other games before, none will likely compare to Karma. The game doesn’t have an exact release date yet but is confirmed for 2026.