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 game licenses for 2025, signals an imminent release. While a concrete release date remains unannounced, the approval suggests a relatively swift launch.

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 iPhone 16 showcase.

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 popularity has exploded. Honor of Kings: World might entice even MOBA skeptics to explore this expansive new title.

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. This wave of approvals provides valuable insight into upcoming game releases. According to the South China Morning Post, this month's approvals exceed even the highest monthly totals from 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.