Ten years after it made its debut in China, Tencent’s epic MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) title, Honor of Kings, is now a gaming kingdom with no equal. What began as a local phenomenon has turned into a worldwide movement, as the game, from developer TiMi Studio, recently garnered 100 million monthly active users outside China in August 2025, and in just under two months, the fantasy game based heavily on Chinese history, mythology, and traditional culture, has now become the world’s most played mobile game.
In 2024, the game grossed US$2.6 million, making it the highest-grossing mobile game in the world at the time, and it wasn’t because of the larger Chinese population. Just this month, the company announced that the game surpassed 260 million global monthly active users (MAUs) across more than 200 countries and regions, with China hitting a record 139 million daily active users (DAUs), surpassing the previous record of 100 million DAUs set in 2024.
At the global Honor of Kings World Championship Grand Final or King Pro League (KPL) over the weekend, which sold out 60,000 seats in 12 seconds, Tencent announced that the event had reached a Guinness World Record of the largest attendance for an esports event – 62,196 attendees.
But this rise isn’t built on numbers alone. Behind the spectacle lies a clear mission – to build a global ecosystem where players, professionals, and communities can grow together, where the gap between international and Chinese players continues to close. Yes, there are cultural nuances in the game’s narrative that hamper the full enjoyment of non-Chinese players, which explains the stronger rollout of programs to win over more gamers from around the world.
The game comes in 2 versions – the Chinese Version, 王者荣耀, which is limited to mainland China and a few select markets, and the global version, Honor of Kings, now available in more than 160 countries across Asia, Europe, America, the Middle East, and North Africa.
“We are not trying to copy the KPL to the world. We are sharing our Honor of Kings DNA and hope that it can be inherited,” explains Tencent’s Global Esports Senior Director James Yang,
Through initiatives like the Global Esports Power Up Program, teams around the world receive structured training and mentorship directly from China’s top-tier ecosystem and coaches.
According to the Head of KPL Cheng Huang, the aim is to “strengthen communication channels across the world with China” by fostering an open environment where teams can learn, adapt to game mechanics, and ultimately rise to the same standard of play as the Chinese.
And the success is showing, as players from countries such as Malaysia have emerged as rising powerhouses, challenging long-held expectations of China’s dominance. For Tencent, that’s a success story in itself.
“We want to see a global team beat us,” Cheng Huang shares. “When that happens, it means we are doing something right.”
While the competitive scene grows, the cultural heartbeat of Honor of Kings remains just as crucial. Known for its heroes inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore, the game’s expansion required more than just language translation but cultural reimagination and adjusting to an international audience.
Honor of Kings Game Producer Dean Huang explained that the goal was to always ensure that each hero “resonates and feels familiar to the rest of the world” while preserving the heart of its original story. This philosophy has led to regionally inspired heroes like Indonesia’s Garuda Khageswara and Brazil’s Luara, designed with local aesthetics that align with each country’s identity. Think of how global games infuse their pool of characters with those from different nationalities and cultures – Tencent and TiMi Studio follows the established practice made by countless developers before them, but also understands that this balance between authenticity and adaptation defines Honor of Kings’ global charm, where it’s still deeply Chinese at its core, but speaks in the language of every culture it touches.
To sustain this global movement, Tencent has invested US$15 million into developing the game’s international esports infrastructure. From professional leagues to grassroots programs, there are now seven regional professional leagues across the globe, led by the KPL in in China, followed by the MY Honor of Kings League in in Malaysia, Indonesia’s Kings Laga, Philippine’s Kings League, the Major East League (Japan, Korea, MENA and South Asia), the Major West League (America and Europe), and Brazil’s Honor of Kings League, all of which are complemented by initiatives like the Open Series and Campus Series, which provides new players a chance to learn directly from professionals.
Already, the effort looks to be paying off, as feedback from the grassroots community has been overwhelmingly positive, with players praising the mentorship programs and accessibility. Even the AI companion coach, which uses large language models to help players analyse their performance, has been met with enthusiasm.
“This is only the beginning,” promises Honor of Kings KPL Operations and Development Lead Jiaxin, who reveals the system will continue to evolve and refine how players train. For established pro players, competition is also becoming more exciting, though the team recognises that with the long headstart that Chinese teams have, it’s unlikely that international teams have the capabilities to offer much of a challenge… for now, that is.
“We do hope that every country will have the opportunity to beat us,” Jiaxin commented. “If a strong team defeats China’s pros, we want others to learn from them.”
There’s also the potential of the various professional leagues to become more than just events for like-minded players from the community to gather as in China, the KPL has evolved from a tournament to a celebration, as each KPL Grand Final transforms into a carnival for the growing fandom, with board games, music, comics, and crafts creating a festival-like experience that goes beyond the mobile screen.
This celebratory spirit has now reached the global stage with the Esports World Cup (EWC), where Honor of Kings made its debut as one of the core titles in 2025. Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of the Esports World Cup Foundation, Mike McCabe, says it was “an incredibly easy decision” to include the game.
“The KPL is truly unique, not just locally but globally. It’s on a different scale, one that is very diverse from an audience standpoint. When we look at it, we look at the fandom that inspired us to create the Superfans Program and work in partnership with clubs. The KPL clubs are on a different level.”
Chief Games Officer Fabian Scheuermann echoes the sentiment, pointing to the massive influence of the KPL. “We looked at the sheer size of its fanbase. The support and growth of the clubs globally is incredible, and we’re hoping that international teams will also achieve the same stability and growth as the ones in China.”
The partnership has already shown tangible results in Saudi Arabia, where the EWC introduced a new market and gave fans the opportunity to witness KPL’s best players live. “We saw a 20 to 25 per cent increase in attendance numbers, with over 460,000 visits on site,” says Fabian. “We wanted people to experience the impact and scale that Honor of Kings brings.”
For Tencent, EWC isn’t just another tournament. It’s a platform to share knowledge and raise standards worldwide. McCabe shared that the team has taken great inspiration from China’s approach to esports production, from ceremonial design to player welfare. “We look at China’s player lounges, their resilience in technology and broadcast, and even their metrics. All of which have inspired us. It’s not competition, it’s appreciation.”
Inclusivity remains another pillar of growth. James Yang notes that the Honor of King’s women’s tournament in Malaysia is just the beginning, with the team “working on the ecosystem first” to ensure long-term sustainability. Fabian also emphasises that the team is “supporting ecosystems where women are already present and creating more opportunities for them to compete on the big stage.” With plans to expand the Women’s Open and ensure aspiring female players receive equal opportunities, Honor of Kings is championing diversity on every level.
The pro players, too, are treated like professional athletes. Top-tier clubs such as JDG, Wolves, AG, Weibo, Hero Esports, and LGD train in dedicated Home City Venues equipped with gyms, wellness spaces, and recovery rooms. The focus on mental and physical support reflects Tencent’s commitment to nurturing its players as competitors and individuals.
As Honor of Kings enters its next chapter, the momentum shows no sign of slowing down. The KPL will mark its 10th anniversary in 2026, celebrating a decade of growth at Beijing’s iconic Bird’s Nest Stadium, a fitting stage for a game that has redefined mobile esports. It will also return to the Esports World Cup 2026 and the Asian Games 2026, cementing its place in the global competitive landscape.
Living multiple lives, Debbi is a singer-songwriter and music coach by day, FPS gamer and variety streamer by night. Let’s not forget being a full-time dog mom to her Cavapoo, Buddy. With life like this, who needs a multiverse?
Si Jia
