By Sagar V. Mankar The explosively popular Chinese mobile MOBA Honor of Kings is gearing up for a major global expansion in 2024.
Developer Level Infinite has announced the Honor of Kings Global Invitational Series, kicking off with a $300,000 tournament in Istanbul, Turkey this March.
The Invitational Series marks the start of Honor of Kings’ journey to become a leading global esports.
The tournament marks the first salvo in developer Level Infinite’s aggressive push into new regions beyond China, where Honor of Kings already reigns supreme as the #1 mobile esports.
But why should the rest of the world care about this Chinese mobile game?
Honor of Kings first launched in China in 2015 and rapidly grew into one of China’s most popular and profitable games with over 100 million daily active users and $250 million per month in revenue.
The 5v5 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game is played primarily on mobile, setting it apart from PC-focused titles like League of Legends and Dota 2.
To appeal to Western markets, the developer launched a rebranded international version called Arena of Valor in 2016.
However, Arena of Valor has struggled to achieve the same level of success outside China.
Now, Level Infinite aims to unify its global strategy around the Honor of King’s brand and core gameplay.
New Regions, New Opportunities
The Honor of Kings Global Invitational Series will kick off with the “Invitational S1” tournament at Grand Pera Emek Sahnesi Theatre, Istanbul from March 2nd-10th, 2024.
- March 2-5: Group Stage
- March 7-8: Quarterfinals
- March 9: Semi-Finals
- March 10: Finals
The $300,000 prize pool event features 8 top teams from Brazil, Turkey, MENA, and CIS competing for their share of the spoils and spots in future invitationals.
- Besiktas Esports (Turkiye)
- FUT KAOS (Turkiye)
- IW WRX (Turkiye)
- Twisted Minds (Saudi Arabia)
- Major Pride (Kazakhstan)
- Stalwart Esports (UAE)
- Vivo Keyd Stars (Brazil)
- Alpha 7 Esports (Brazil)
Before that Level Infinite will launch Honor of Kings in the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, Eastern Europe, and South Asia on February 21.
This “glocalization” approach proved immensely successful in China, where Honor of Kings leveled up from a niche hobby to a national phenomenon.
The game capitalized on Chinese pride by incorporating beloved characters from Romance of the Three Kingdoms and other cultural touchstones.
Now Level Infinite hopes to replicate this formula overseas.
They aim to build community and relevance region-by-region until Honor of Kings achieves the same exalted status internationally as League of Legends.
Eyes on the $1 Million Horizon
The $300K Istanbul Invitational is just a taste of what Level Infinite has in store for 2024.
Further invitational tournaments are slated for summer and end-of-year, including the $1 million MidSeason Invitational and 2024 Honor of Kings World Championship.
And to conclude 2024, the developers plan an epic Championship Invitational with details still undisclosed.
Through this masterful sequencing of regional qualifiers leading up to massive global finals, Level Infinite aspires to culminate their efforts in true esports fashion.
In Shorts
- Multiple Invitationals Series throughout the year starting with a $300k tournament
- 1 or 2 Midseason Invitational
- Finals – World Championship Invitational
Uncertain Fate for Arena of Valor
One lingering question is how this worldwide push for Honor of Kings will affect Arena of Valor, the international version of the game.
Arena of Valor predated Honor of Kings’ expansion, but has failed to achieve the same addictive popularity outside Asia.
This has led many to speculate that Level Infinite may axe Arena of Valor if Honor of Kings takes off in Western markets.
But for now, the developer seems intent on keeping both titles active.
The burgeoning esports ecosystem around Honor of Kings should generate buzz both locally and abroad.
If early adoption proves strong, Arena of Valor may need to either adapt or die out.
But League of Legends has demonstrated that two versions of one game can coexist peacefully given the right conditions.