Honor of Kings spin-off Honor of Kings: World part of first batch of releases approved by regulator

Honor of Kings: World, the highly anticipated open-world RPG spin-off of Tencent's popular MOBA, Honor of Kings, has received approval from Chinese regulators. This approval, part of the first batch of 2025 game releases, signals an imminent launch. While a precise release date remains unannounced, the regulatory green light suggests its arrival is relatively near.

True to its name, Honor of Kings: World expands the Honor of Kings universe into a fully explorable open world. Its impressive graphics and open-world gameplay were prominently featured during the recent iPhone 16 showcase.

For those unfamiliar, Honor of Kings is a globally renowned MOBA, surpassing even League of Legends in certain regions. Previously limited to China and Asia, its immense popularity now extends globally. Honor of Kings: World might entice even MOBA skeptics to explore this expansive new title.

A Significant Milestone

This approval is particularly noteworthy given China's previous gaming licensing freeze. This period significantly hampered the nation's game development and publishing sectors before a recent surge of approvals. The current wave of approvals, exceeding even last year's highest monthly figures (as reported by the South China Morning Post), indicates a potential influx of Chinese games in 2025. The coming months will reveal whether this leads to a highly competitive market or some titles being overshadowed. We'll continue to monitor the situation.