The weakest E-rank hunter in the world is now on the Overwatch roster. Blizzard is opening Season 5 with a crossover with Solo Leveling: Genji becomes Sung Jinwoo, Reaper becomes the shadow knight Igris, Reinhardt becomes Iron, alongside Cha Hae-In and Choi Jong-In.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Event name | Overwatch x Shadow Monarch |
| Starts | October 6, 2026, alongside Season 5 |
| Ends | October 19 per Blizzard, October 26 per Overwatch Cavalry (for the skins) |
| Skins | 5 |
| Price | Not announced |
| Season 5 | A Grim Doctrine: new hero Doctrine, new map Watchpoint: Grímsvötn |
The 5 Solo Leveling skins in Overwatch
| Overwatch hero | Becomes | In Solo Leveling |
|---|---|---|
| Genji | Sung Jinwoo | The protagonist, the Shadow Monarch |
| Reaper | Igris | The Blood-Red Commander, now one of Jinwoo’s shadow soldiers |
| Anran | Cha Hae-In | An S-rank hunter |
| Reinhardt | Iron | A former A-rank hunter, now in the Shadow Army |
| Lifeweaver | Choi Jong-In | An S-rank mage and the hunter guild master |
Blizzard’s official post invites players to “accept the quest, step into the Overwatch x Shadow Monarch collab and level up” from October 6 to 19. However, the Overwatch Cavalry news account and several game news sites say the skins are available until October 26. OtaHub will update this once Blizzard clarifies. Price, rarity and whether anything is free are still unannounced.
What’s new in Season 5?
- New hero Doctrine: a vampire-styled support hero tied to Doomfist’s past. The Eternal Scepter both heals allies and damages enemies at mid and long range, with bat-shaped drones that heal and speed up attacks. The ultimate redistributes health: allies gain overhealth while enemies have their maximum health capped.
- New map Watchpoint: Grímsvötn: a new Escort map set in a prison built into a volcanic fissure in Iceland, now taken over by Talon.
- Sombra moves to support: Hotfix heals allies even while cloaked, and Cyberspace heals and applies a new weakening effect.
- Roadhog gets a rework: the Scrap Gun fires two bursts per shot, and the new Trash Compactor ability absorbs bullets and fires them back.
- Halloween: the Mystery Madness: Graveyard Games mode runs from October 6 to November 2, along with a Halloween-themed battle pass.
Which anime has Overwatch teamed up with before?
Solo Leveling is Overwatch’s newest anime crossover, following One-Punch Man in 2023 (Doomfist as Saitama), Cowboy Bebop (Cassidy as Spike), My Hero Academia (Tracer as Deku, Reinhardt as All Might) and Gundam Wing.
What is Solo Leveling?
Solo Leveling is a Korean manhwa by Chugong about Sung Jinwoo, the weakest hunter in the world, who unexpectedly gains the ability to level up without limit and becomes the Shadow Monarch. A-1 Pictures’ anime aired two seasons in 2024 and 2025 (see our season 2 review), and the RPG Solo Leveling: Arise launched in 2024.
OtaHub’s take
Picking Genji for Sung Jinwoo makes sense: a fast assassin with a bladed weapon. Reaper as Igris also fits the dark theme. The thing to wait on is price: Overwatch’s anime collabs are usually sold in bundles, and Blizzard has not announced a number. If you are a Solo Leveling fan, jump into the game early, since the end date is still not agreed on.
FAQ
Which skins are in Overwatch x Solo Leveling?
Five skins: Genji as Sung Jinwoo, Reaper as Igris, Anran as Cha Hae-In, Reinhardt as Iron and Lifeweaver as Choi Jong-In.
How long does the Overwatch x Solo Leveling event last?
It started on October 6, 2026. Blizzard’s official post lists the event as running from October 6 to 19, while the Overwatch Cavalry account says the skins are available until October 26. Buy early if you want to be sure.
How much do the Solo Leveling skins cost in Overwatch?
Blizzard had not announced the price or rarity of each skin when OtaHub checked on October 6, 2026.
What time does Overwatch Season 5 start?
Season 5 started on October 6, 2026. According to the schedule Gfinity reported earlier, that is 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time, or about 1:00 a.m. on October 7 in Vietnam.
Sources: Blizzard Entertainment (Overwatch news, YouTube PlayOverwatch), Insider Gaming, Overwatch Cavalry (X), Gfinity, Dexerto.