Singapore-based Web3 platform OtherWorld has launched the closed beta for Solo Leveling: Unlimited (SL:U), a gamified NFT project based on the epic action-packed web novel Solo Leveling. The digital collectibles are deployed on the layer-1 blockchain Avalanche.
The South Korean webtoon Solo Leveling has grown to have a cult-like following globally, boasting over 14 billion views worldwide. The web novel has expanded into having an anime, a live-action drama, a sequel webtoon called Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, and a game. The latest addition of SL:U brings the webtoon into the NFT space.
SL:U follows the origin story of the webtoon, where gamers defeat monsters to level up. Players receive monster cards for their victory, which can be leveled up. Those with high-level monster cards qualify for additional perks within the ecosystem, such as limited-edition PFP NFTs of Solo Leveling’s main protagonist.
OtherWorld is licensed to bring 26 webtoons into the Web3 realm. Solo Leveling is the first among them. It implies that other webtoon IPs like Second Life Ranker will likely be introduced into the NFT space over time. In collaboration with the South Korean talent agency Cube Entertainment, OtherWorld will also onboard IPs from K-Pop artists into the NFT market.
Commenting on the significance of the newly launched NFT project, Ava Labs’ Head of Korea, Justin Kim, said:
“It’s genuinely exciting to see a popular series like Solo Leveling expand and provide an immersive gamified experience for its worldwide fans leveraging blockchain. It's definitely an encouraging sign of what's possible and what’s to come when mainstream cultural icons, fandom and cutting-edge technology converge.”
OtherWorld’s move to bring an existing IP into the NFT ecosystem is not a new concept. Earlier this year, the Japanese gaming platform Square Enix incorporated NFT functionalities into Final Fantasy and Tomb Raider, two games that have established prominence in the Web2 gaming sphere.
By introducing NFT capability into the Solo Leveling franchise, OtherWorld seeks to bring more normies into the ever-growing non-fungible sphere. This will potentially do much good to the overall NFT market performance.
