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 unconfirmed, the approval 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 visuals 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 gateway 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.
Global attention is focused on these approvals, providing valuable insight into potential release timelines. According to the South China Morning Post, this month's approvals exceed even the highest monthly totals of the previous year.
Will 2025 witness a flood of Chinese game releases? Will some titles be overshadowed by others? Only time will tell. We'll continue to monitor developments.
