LitRPG

LitRPG, short for literary role-playing game, is a fiction genre that combines parts of computer RPGs with science-fiction and fantasy. The term was introduced in 2013. In LitRPG, game-like elements are a major part of the story, and RPG statistics (such as strength, intelligence, damage) are a big part of the reading experience. This is the difference between LitRPG novels and games that in with a game, like those set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons; books that are actual games, such as the choose-your-own-adventure Fighting Fantasy type of book; or games that are described through words; such as interactive fiction. Typically, the main character in a LitRPG novel is interacting and knows about the game like elements.

 Origins and Development 
LitRPG grew from earlier game based fantasy novels and was first created as a word by the the Russian publisher EKSMO in 2013.   Although many LitRPG books start as self-published works, some found success with a wider audience. Aleron Kong’s The Land: Monsters made the Wall Street Journal bestseller list in 2020, Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl series was picked up by a major publisher and reached #2 on The New York Times Audio Fiction bestseller list in 2025. 

 List of Usual Features 

 Leveling, Where a character grows stronger by completing actions.
 Stats (Statistics), numbers that go up to signify a characters power.
 Items, Magical tools that grant special powers.
 Monsters, Animals and mythical creatures that usually oppose the main character.
 Hard Magic, Powers beyond what are possible in this world but still have laws and rules behind them.

 See Also 

 Wuxia
 Isekai
 Fantasy