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 expansion 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 arrival.

True to its name, 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 regions. Initially limited to China and Asia, its popularity exploded, making Honor of Kings: World a potentially captivating entry point for MOBA newcomers.

A Significant Milestone

This approval holds significant weight, considering China's previous gaming licensing freeze. This period significantly impacted the Chinese game development and publishing landscape before a recent surge of approvals. The current wave of approvals, exceeding even the highest monthly figures of the previous year (according to the South China Morning Post), suggests a potential flood of Chinese game releases in 2025. The coming months will determine which titles rise to prominence amidst this influx.