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 a relatively swift market entry.

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 iPhone 16 showcase.

For those unfamiliar, Honor of Kings is a globally renowned MOBA, surpassing even League of Legends in certain regions. Initially confined to China and Asia, its popularity has exploded. Honor of Kings: World might serve as the perfect entry point for MOBA skeptics.

A significant development The approval is particularly noteworthy given China's previous gaming licensing freeze. This period significantly hampered the nation's game development and publishing sector before a recent surge of approvals. The current wave of approvals, exceeding even last year's highest monthly total (according to the South China Morning Post), indicates a potential flood of Chinese game releases in 2025. The competitive landscape will undoubtedly intensify, with some titles potentially overshadowed by others. We eagerly await further developments.