Solo Leveling: ARISE Celebrates 1-Year Anniversary With Major Update, Free Rewards, and New Content
- Sagar Mankar
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Netmarble is celebrating the first anniversary of Solo Leveling: ARISE in a big way, launching a major update and a month-long in-game celebration packed with events, rewards, and content expansions.
The anniversary update arrives on May 8, 2025, and runs through June 5, giving players new reasons to jump back into the action-packed adaptation of the popular webtoon.
Pre-Registration Now Live With Free Rewards
Players can pre-register now for the anniversary celebration and instantly receive 10 Custom Draw Tickets once the update goes live.
If total pre-registrations reach 500,000, special hidden rewards will be unlocked and distributed to all players via the in-game mailbox.
New Story Content and Hunter Type
The update introduces two new narrative arcs:
A Knights Guild raid set in Busan.
A dungeon break at Sung Jinah’s school.
In addition to the new story chapters, players can expect a brand-new hunter type and never-before-seen raid content, expanding the game’s PvE and co-op challenges.
Anniversary Events and Rewards (May 8 – June 5)
Netmarble has lined up a series of in-game events featuring exclusive rewards, including:
Daily Check-In Gifts
Transcendent Blessing Stone [Select]
1-Year Anniversary SSR Hunter Selection Ticket
Exclusive SSR Hunter Weapon Selection Ticket
Up to 100 Custom Draw Tickets
Special Player Weapon Design
SSR Jinwoo Weapon Selection Ticket
Exclusive Sung Jinwoo Costume
Players who complete daily missions during the event can earn a limited Pixiv Competition-winning Sung Jinwoo outfit, designed by a fan and officially added to the game.
New Shadow Companion
Players can acquire a new Shadow unit, likely tied to the Workshop of Brilliant Light: Yogumunt event ending in May.
Special Event Schedule
Here’s what players can look forward to over the month-long celebration:
Event | Dates | Details |
Cha Hae-In Rate-Up Draw | May 8 – June 5 | Features the debut of S-Rank hunter Cha Hae-In. |
Thomas Andre Rate-Up Draw | May 8 – May 22 | Summon the powerful American S-Rank hunter. |
Goto Ryuji Rate-Up Draw | May 22 – June 5 | Highlighting Japan’s elite S-Rank hunter. |
Cha Hae-In Capsule Draw | May 8 – June 5 | Special draw event celebrating her release. |
Rate-Up Hunter Growth Tournament | May 8 – June 5 | Compete to grow featured hunters for rewards. |
Cake Thief Sweep-Up Operation | May 8 – May 26 | Mini-game with exclusive loot. |
Assemble Army of Shadows | May 8 – May 26 | Missions to enhance your Shadow Army. |
Hunter Challenge Event | May 8 – May 26 | Skill-based combat tasks. |
Rock, Paper, Scissors Event | May 8 – May 15 | Lighthearted event with prize drops. |
1-Year Appreciation Lucky Clover/Last Chance | May 22 – May 29 | Final opportunity to earn rare rewards. |
Gate Bonus Time (Gold) | May 8 – May 22 | Increased gold drops during Gate runs. |
Gate Bonus Time (Weapon Enhancement Gear) | May 22 – June 5 | Boosted drop rates for weapon upgrades. |
Heart Pounding Tank | May 26 – June 12 | Event gameplay with thematic rewards. |
1st Year Anniversary Daily Mission | May 26 – June 12 | Earn a special Sung Jinwoo costume by completing missions. |
Night of the Hunters Collection | May 26 – June 12 | Collect items and earn bonus rewards. |
1-Year Anniversary Event Story | After May 8 update | New narrative content unlocked. |
1st Year Anniversary Mission Challenge | After May 8 update | Battle-focused anniversary missions. |
1st Year Anniversary Dice Exploration | After May 8 update | Dice board-style mini-game with random rewards. |
Gameplay Overview
Solo Leveling: ARISE lets players take on the role of Sung Jinwoo, evolving from a weak E-rank hunter to the strongest in the world. It features:
Real-time hack-and-slash combat
Quick-time event (QTE) skills for high-damage strikes
Customizable builds with weapons, runes, and Blessing Stones
A gacha system for acquiring new hunters and gear
Players can summon their own Army of Shadows with the iconic phrase “Arise,” adding strategic layers to combat and exploration.
A Year of Success—and Challenges
Since launch, the game has:
Surpassed 50 million downloads by October 2024
Earned over $138.9 million in mobile revenue (AppMagic)
South Korea: ~30%
Japan & US: ~20% each
While the game is praised for its fidelity to the source material, stylish graphics, and engaging combat, players have criticized it for:
Repetitive late-game grind
Slow progression past level 80
Aggressive monetization (battle passes, limited banners)
Long load times and an extended tutorial
This anniversary marks a major milestone not just for the game but also for Netmarble’s investment in expanding the Solo Leveling universe.
For fans of the original webtoon and newcomers alike, the 1-year celebration is a great time to dive in—or return—and experience the thrill of Jinwoo’s rise once more.