When it comes to multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) is the most popular in Southeast Asia. There’s also Pokémon UNITE for Pokemon lovers, and Call Of Duty Mobile for fans of first-person shooters. But there’s another contender in the race for regional popularity: Honor Of Kings (HOK)—a MOBA incorporating Chinese mythological figures and other Asian characters.
Photo from Lapakgaming
MOBA has grown as a subgenre, since it allows free and accessible gameplay that has social and competitive elements, while also being deeply strategic. How these games work is akin to a game of Capture the Flag—each player joins a team, typically composed of five members, all of whom are tasked to destroy or capture the enemy base. The map is composed of three lanes where most of the action takes place: top or crash (top part), mid (middle part), and bot or farm (the bottom part)—with a jungle acting as the neutral space between the lanes, and defensive towers lined up to help prevent enemies from reaching the opposing team’s base. A game can last up to 10 to 25 minutes, with players mainly focusing on their lanes, or acting as a jungler or support.
HOK was made by TiMi Studio Group—the same developer of Pokémon UNITE, Call Of Duty Mobile, and Age Of Empires Mobile. First launched in 2015 in China, HOK’s story initially focused on Chinese mythology, eventually expanding its available characters to include historical figures across Southeast Asia. A year after its release, HOK started to have pro league games where teams from all over the world competed for the World Champion Cup.
Nowadays, Honor of Kings is at the forefront of MOBA games, with a record-breaking 260 million active monthly users, the highest ever recorded for any game. Join us as we take a look at what made this game so popular.
Contrasting MLBB and HOK
Despite being released a few months after Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang immediately rose to popularity because of its global release in the same year, while the worldwide version of HOK officially released just last June 24, 2024. While this delay between global releases gave MLBB a headstart in the global market, HOK immediately made waves in the gaming scene, gaining millions of players in 2024 alone.
Depending on your pace of gameplay, MLBB and HOK offer players different experiences. MLBB has faster-paced gameplay, with each game lasting from 10 to 15 minutes. HOK, on the other hand, takes a little longer to learn and to play, with games ranging from 15 to 20 minutes.
Overall, HOK has slower movement and longer respawn time, with more enhanced graphics and strategic gameplay. Both games do have an easy learning curve for the characters which is great for the beginner and pro MOBA players.
Characters and Skin Selection
Characters and collaborations are undeniably one of the main reasons that games reach mainstream popularity. Despite its global release being only nearly two years old, HOK has released 125 heroes, with some hyped skins and character collabs including partnerships with Jujutsu Kaisen, Sanrio, Saint Seiya, Bleach, Jurassic World, Detective Conan, and more. Most recently, the game has an ongoing Christmas event, featuring Frozen skins for heroes and mobs, and a theme for the profile. HOK’s embrace of pop culture is undoubtedly one of the reasons why fans can’t wait for the next update, as they await new amazing skins and surprises.
Southeast Asian Mythology and History
One of the unique aspects that HOK has to offer as of late are the Southeast Asian characters they are incorporating into the game. As part of their expansion, the game has been releasing characters based on historical figures from the region.
This year, they added a Philippine hero, Lapu-Lapu, who’s known for defeating the Spaniards in the Battle of Mactan. You can use him as a strong tank that can hold his own while also being a good support for team members. Garuda Khageswara was also released this year, based on Indonesian culture and mythology. He’s inspired by the legendary Garuda figure; a bird that symbolizes justice, balance, and righteousness, which is also seen in his in-game persona as a mage.
While Lam is not particularly from Southeast Asia, he was given a skin that shows off Silat martial arts, a combative art of self-defence from the Langkasuka Kingdom, modern day Pattani, and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces in Southern Thailand and Northern Malaysia. His theme song was also created by Malaysian artist, Belle Sisoski, connecting him further to the region’s culture.
Match Up System Favors the Player’s Skill
Lapu-Lapu Gameplay | Photo from Honor of Kings
A highlight of the gaming experience is the match up, since it’s customizable to be more inclusive and more conducive to a level playing field. This portion is especially seen during the ranked games. HOK has a feature where you can choose your top two lanes before the matching and eventually playing against other members. It allows players to show off their true potential while also having a good time, without worrying about fairness and matchmaking.
Upcoming Updates
As 2025 concludes, HOK is also looking forward to ending the year on a high note with the 12/20 Year End event, promising perks like limited time tokens, skins, and more. “We’re still in the early stages of building a long-term, sustainable ecosystem across Southeast Asia. Our vision is to replicate the depth and scale of what we’ve successfully built in other markets—a vibrant community supported by competitive leagues, strong creator networks, and passionate fanbases—while tailoring that experience to fit the unique culture and dynamics of each local market,” said Senior Director of Level Infinite Global Esports Center, James Yang in an interview with Esports.gg.
With that we will surely wait for more updates and news from Honor Of Kings as they continue to expand into the global market of MOBA games. You can download the game for iOS, HarmonyOS NEXT, and Android.
Have you played Honor Of Kings before? Tell us your experience in the comments!