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 game licenses for 2025, signals an imminent release.
While a concrete release date remains unannounced, the regulatory green light suggests a relatively swift launch. True to its name, Honor of Kings: World expands the Honor of Kings universe into a fully explorable open world, previously showcased with impressive graphics and gameplay during the iPhone 16 launch event.
For those unfamiliar, Honor of Kings is a globally renowned MOBA, surpassing even League of Legends in certain markets. Initially confined to China and Asia, its immense popularity now extends worldwide. Honor of Kings: World could potentially attract a broader audience, even those typically hesitant about MOBAs.
Breaking the Logjam
This approval is significant, considering China's previous gaming license freeze, which significantly impacted the nation's game development and publishing sector. The recent thawing of this freeze has resulted in a surge of game releases.
This month's approvals, exceeding even the highest monthly totals of the previous year (according to the South China Morning Post), suggest 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 eagerly await further developments.
