Unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard the name recently Dungeon Crawler Carl. LitRPG, written by Matt Dinniman, has seemingly spread rapidly across the internet due to the way it brings together multiple fandoms, its expanding multimedia potential, and its strong potential for adaptation as a video game. For the uninitiated, litRPG is short for literary role-playing games: a genre of literature that combines computer RPGs (or CRPGs, games that Baldur's Gate 3) with science fiction, fantasy novels and/or other more traditional genres. In short, this genre takes common RPG mechanics like levels, stats, skills, and so much more, and then uses them as rules in a written work.
Usually, the protagonist of a LitRPG novel is consciously aware of and interacts with the game/game-like world. Like players, they try to move on through it.
For its strengths within the genre, Dungeon Crawler CarI've gone from a niche recommendation to one of the fastest growing names, it feels, in modern litRPG storytelling. The surge in popularity, from late 2025 and early 2026, has been hard to miss. Fans discover it through audiobooks, online discussions, and general recommendations, and the momentum just doesn't slow down from there. But those who have yet to dive in, there is one simple question to answer: what the hell is that Dungeon Crawler Carl?
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Dungeon Crawler Carl is a popular LitRPG series
Originally self-published by author Dinniman before being picked up by publisher Ace Books in 2024, the series follows the titular Carl and his cat, Princess Donut, after Earth is destroyed at the hands of the alien Borant Corporation. To survive, they enter the World Dungeon – an 18-level dungeon crawler-like dungeon, used to entertain the alien masses. Each level is essentially part of a twisted game show, where contestants are subjected to video game rules:
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Level and stat progression
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Players unlock skills and abilities based on that progression
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Enemies and bosses drop loot
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Permadeath exists (and is common)
What does Dungeon Crawler Carl stands out in the niche litRPG genre is how it blends the system-heavy game design component with strong personality and tone. It can be chaotic and fun, then suddenly dark or emotional, often in the same chapter. Perhaps the easiest way to describe its overall tone is as the best homebrew games for Dungeons and dragonswhere everyone at the table is focused on roleplaying but not too serious.
Every Dungeon Crawler Carl book published to date
|
Book no. |
Full title |
Dungeon floor |
Initial release date |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Dungeon Crawler Carl |
1 & 2 |
September 21, 2020 |
|
2 |
Carl's doomsday scenario |
3 |
January 2, 2021 |
|
3 |
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook |
4 |
March 19, 2021 |
|
4 |
Gate of the Wild Gods |
5 |
14 June 2021 |
|
5 |
The Butcher's Mask |
6 and 7 |
February 19, 2022 |
|
6 |
Eye of the Bedlam Bride |
8 |
June 14, 2023 |
|
7 |
This inevitable ruin |
9 |
November 7, 2024 |
Dungeon Crawler Carl is growing fast (not just in popularity)
Although it's pretty clear how Dungeon Crawler Carl got off to a slow start, late 2025 and early 2026 have seen it come into focus. First of all, the eighth book, A parade of horrorswill be released on May 12, 2026 and features the tenth floor of the World Dungeon. It follows the fallout of a major conflict in the dungeon and represents one of the strangest floors yet, where things are suspiciously “normal”. In addition to the next title, there is plenty of new content in the works, with TV adaptations, web series, graphic novels, games and merchandise, including but not limited to,
And there's the obvious: a litRPG is basically a video game in written form. Many fans are looking forward to a real one Dungeon Crawler Carl video game, which can be nothing but a roguelike and/or dungeon crawler game. It's basically already written, and fan demand for it is increasing alongside its popularity. It's basically a question of “when” and “by which developer,” as opposed to “if.”
In many ways, Dungeon Crawler Carl already reflects modern game design trends, such as Saros is a major roguelike game to be released this year, and DCC could easily include a roguelike structure. Also, Dungeon Crawler is a classic video game genre, and it says it in the title.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
Dungeon Crawler Carl transitions to a bigger, more active future
DCC is currently transitioning from a cult favorite in a niche fandom to a much bigger, more mainstream IP. It comes with pros and cons. Of course, this is good news for the world Dungeon Crawler Carlfor Dinniman, and for how IP can be explored. The downside is that quality is subjective, and growth does not always guarantee that quality will be maintained. As long as the books serve as anchors for future board games, video games, TV adaptations, and so on, then everything should be fine. The Dungeon Crawler Carl books – from the clear systems and sense of progression to its mix of humor and mayhem – are the heart of the IP and should remain so. It just remains to be seen if this is the case when all is done and dusted on customizations.
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The real question is no longer whether Dungeon Crawler Carl will continue to expand or if it has legs. It comes and does quite clearly. The bigger question is which format will be the defining version of the franchise. The books are the heart, but will that hold up for a world tailored to the video game format? A successful video game could be the next big turning point for the franchise, making its current boom look small in the long run, or it could fall flat. The golden rule of the video game industry is that anything can flop.
For now, Dungeon Crawler Carl continues to grow across all major media it touches. What started as a weird, fun dungeon survival story has become one of the most adaptable genre properties in recent memory, and that's the beauty of art created by human hands, minds and hearts.
