Chinese Mobile Giant Tencent Wins Approval for Honor of Kings Spin-Off

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.

As its name implies, 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. Initially confined to China and Asia, its popularity exploded, making Honor of Kings: World a potentially significant title for a wider audience. This open-world iteration might attract even 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 sectors before a recent surge of approvals. This month's approvals, exceeding even last year's highest monthly figures (according to the South China Morning Post), are a strong indicator of increased activity in the Chinese gaming market.

The sheer volume of approvals raises questions about the potential for a flood of Chinese game releases in 2025 and the competitive landscape this will create. Only time will tell which titles will emerge as frontrunners. We will continue to monitor the situation.