Honor of Kings: World Approved in First Batch by Regulator

Exciting news for fans of Tencent's blockbuster MOBA, Honor of Kings! The much-anticipated spin-off, Honor of Kings: World, has officially received the green light from Chinese regulators. This approval came as part of the first batch of games greenlit for release in 2025, marking a significant milestone for the title.

As the name suggests, Honor of Kings: World takes the beloved universe of Honor of Kings and expands it into a vast, explorable open world. The game was prominently featured during the showcase for the upcoming iPhone 16, highlighting its stunning graphics and immersive open-world gameplay.

For those unfamiliar, Honor of Kings is a juggernaut in the MOBA genre, surpassing even Riot Games' League of Legends in popularity, despite its initial restriction to China and other Asian markets. With Honor of Kings: World, Tencent aims to draw in not only existing fans but also those who may have been skeptical of MOBAs, offering a fresh take on the franchise.

While this approval might not seem groundbreaking at first glance, it's a significant development in the context of China's gaming industry. A few years ago, a licensing freeze halted the progress of game development and publishing in the country. The subsequent thaw led to a surge of new releases, and the recent wave of approvals, as reported by the South China Morning Post, has exceeded last year's peak monthly figures.

With this approval, we can anticipate Honor of Kings: World hitting the market relatively soon, although an exact release date remains under wraps. The approval process in China is a crucial indicator for global audiences, as it often signals when new titles will become available on various platforms.

As we look ahead to 2025, the question arises: Will we see an influx of new games from China, potentially overshadowing others? Only time will tell, but for now, fans of Honor of Kings have a thrilling new adventure to look forward to.