Solo Leveling Officially Switches Genres In October 6 Return

Published Oct 6, 2026, 5:56 AM EDT

Known as 'Cyberpunk 2077's' biggest fan, Angharad is a Welsh games writer who thrives in anything related to digital storytelling. If a video game explores the intricacies and horrors of womanhood, she is there.

Thanks to previous work at GAMINGbible, GameByte, The Loadout, Game Luster, Angharad has built a strong understanding of both the digital world and what fans want from it and is eager to share her thoughts and expertise with readers.

Beginning its life as a South Korean fantasy web novel by Chugong, Solo Leveling quickly cemented itself as a hit for the genre. So much so, that it was soon snapped up by A-1 Pictures, being adapted into an anime series which aired for the first time back in 2024.

With two seasons now under its belt, and a sequel anime film, Beyond the System, currently in production, that is not all for Solo Leveling as, on top of that, a Korean drama adaptation has also been announced with Byeon Woo-seok in the leading role.

Put simply, it is an exciting time to be a Solo Leveling fan, but it seems as though its fans can look forward to another exciting collaboration courtesy of one of the world's biggest multiplayer shooters.

Solo Leveling and Overwatch Collide

Season 5 of Overwatch is about to begin, and as well as marking the return of brand-new hero Doctrine, it will also feature an exciting collaboration. Overwatch is no stranger to a collaboration with some of the world's biggest anime, with One Punch Man, My Hero Academia, and Cowboy Bepop being just some examples.

Now, Solo Leveling is the next to receive the Overwatch treatment as Season 5 will welcome Solo Leveling-inspired skins for some of our favorite heroes.

Five brand-new skins will be added to the game as part of the Shadow Monarch collab and Genji will be taking the starring role as Solo Leveling’s protagonist, Sung Jinwoo. It will also include Reaper as Igris, Anran as Cha Hae-In, Reinhardt as Iron, and Lifeweaver as Choi Jong-In.

So, if you want to celebrate your love of Solo Leveling and showcase your favorite characters in some of the Overwatch roster, then you will be pleased to hear that the skins will be available from 6 to 26 October, with Season 5 of Overwatch kicking off later today.

As you can expect, news of such an exciting collaboration has got fans talking, and some recently took to r/Overwatch to share their thoughts. "I feel like Cha Hae or Igris should have been Vendetta," one comment read. "It seems like a missed opportunity to be more like the source material. Also, making Choi Jong-In Lifeweaver was a choice. Dude is a fire mage, known for destructive power."

Another said, "I really like the Cha Hae-In skin. I think they paired them the best they could considering the source material. Definitely wanted to see Beru and Esil, but then the bundle would've cost $100, and I don't want to see that."

However, with another user sharing, "This one isn’t for me, pretty underwhelmed by it, but I feel the same way about the anime," it seems as though this collaboration is not for everybody.

Nevertheless, it is set to go live later today, so if you are a Solo Leveling fan who just so happens to play Overwatch, then this is a collaboration you will not want to miss out on.