Tencent's highly anticipated open-world RPG, Honor of Kings: World, a spin-off of the massively popular MOBA Honor of Kings, has received approval from Chinese regulators. This approval, part of the first batch of game releases greenlit for 2025, signals an imminent release. While a concrete launch date remains unannounced, the regulatory clearance suggests its arrival is relatively near.
Honor of Kings: World, as the name implies, 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 dominant MOBA, surpassing even League of Legends in certain regions, despite its initial confinement to China and Asia. Honor of Kings: World may entice even MOBA skeptics to explore this expansive new title.
A Significant Milestone
This regulatory approval holds significant weight. China's previous gaming licensing freeze significantly impacted the nation's game development and publishing landscape. The recent thawing, marked by a surge of approvals, has generated considerable global interest, offering insights into upcoming game releases. This month's approvals, according to the South China Morning Post, exceed even the highest monthly totals of the previous year.
The sheer volume of approvals suggests a potential flood of Chinese game releases in 2025. The coming months will determine which titles rise to prominence and which may be overshadowed. We eagerly await further updates.
