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Honor of Kings esports: the game and its pro scene

How does Honor of Kings esports work? The game, the KPL and regional leagues, the Honor of Kings World Cup, and where to watch, with our sources.

What is Honor of Kings?

Honor of Kings esports is played on Honor of Kings, a five-on-five multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) for mobile phones developed by TiMi Studio Group. It first came out in China in 2015; outside China, it is published by Level Infinite, Tencent's global games brand, which dates its release to June 2024.

The goal is to destroy the enemy crystal. Towers along the lanes shield each side from minions and opponents, a river crosses the middle of the map, and jungle monsters offer useful advantages. Each player picks a hero, many drawn from mythology, with signature skills and a role such as warrior, assassin, mage, marksman or support.

Level Infinite stresses that the game costs nothing to play and that victories depend on skill and tactics, not on spending.

Sources: [1] [2] [3]

How does the Honor of Kings pro scene work?

Level Infinite describes an esports ecosystem that covers everyone from amateur players at grassroots level to top professionals. Regional leagues form its base: the King Pro League (KPL) in China, plus leagues in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brazil and other markets, which in 2026 sent their best teams to the World Cup.

The international program has changed shape almost every year. In 2024, it was built around an Invitational series; for 2025, Level Infinite announced a new pro-league system, HoK Major East and HoK Major West. The official channels are the place to check the current format.

Sources: [3] [4] [5]

What are the biggest Honor of Kings tournaments?

Honor of Kings has featured at the Esports World Cup since its first edition in 2024, and the 2026 tournament there, in Paris, carried the name Honor of Kings World Cup (KWC). It brought together 20 teams from Honor of Kings and from Arena of Valor, on a version of the game prepared for the event.

That edition moved from a play-in to a group stage, then to an eight-team single-elimination bracket of best-of-seven matches (the third-place match was a best of five), with a draft rule called Global Ban & Pick in every stage.

In 2024, the season ended with the Honor of Kings Championship in Jakarta, where the 16 best teams in the world played for the title of annual champion.

Sources: [3] [4] [5]

How can you watch Honor of Kings esports?

Level Infinite points fans to the official HoK Esports channels on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, X and Instagram, along with a HoK Global Esports page on Facebook.

The big international events also welcome fans on site: at the 2026 World Cup, the program included showmatches and meet-and-greets with KPL teams.

Sources: [3]