Honor of Kings Review - Top Mobile MOBA with 260M Players Worldwide

Honor of Kings is a MOBA game that ranks as the highest-grossing mobile game globally with 260 million monthly active users and $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Developed by TiMi Studio Group and published by Level Infinite globally, the game has achieved unprecedented success since its June 20, 2024 worldwide launch.

Honor of Kings features 3 core gameplay systems including 5v5 team battles, strategic lane management, and jungle buff mechanics. The game appeals to competitive MOBA players who enjoy fast-paced tactical combat and team-based strategic depth.

Available on iOS, Android, and HarmonyOS, Honor of Kings operates on a free-to-play model with cosmetic purchases ranging from $5-$50 per skin and battle passes at $10-$15 per season. The game has earned 4.27 stars on Google Play with 1.58 million reviews across both platforms.

Players average 32.83 minutes per session and log in 2.55 times daily, demonstrating the game’s exceptional engagement and retention.

Download Honor of Kings Free on iOS and Android

What is Honor of Kings?

Honor of Kings is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that delivers strategic 5v5 team combat on mobile devices. Released globally on June 20, 2024 by TiMi Studio Group, the game has achieved 139 million daily active users on its China server alone, setting a world record for mobile gaming.

The game focuses on competitive team-based strategy where players control unique heroes, destroy enemy structures, and coordinate with teammates to achieve victory. Honor of Kings distinguishes itself through 3 unique features, including 80+ playable heroes with distinct abilities, a 7-tier competitive ranking system (Bronze through Legend), and real-time strategic decision-making that rewards skilled play.

Players can expect 12-18 minute match durations, with fast-paced sessions and rapid progression systems. The game supports 10 simultaneous players (5v5 format) and includes social features such as team formation, ranked matchmaking, and guild systems.

Honor of Kings has generated over $100 million in monthly revenue consistently throughout 2025, maintaining its position as the mobile gaming industry’s top earner.

Core Gameplay Mechanics

Honor of Kings features 3 distinct gameplay mechanics that define the competitive experience. These systems work together to create strategic depth that rewards tactical thinking and team coordination.

5v5 Team Battle System

The 5v5 team battle system is a real-time combat framework that divides players into two teams competing to destroy the enemy base crystal. The system operates through 3 distinct phases: early-game laning, mid-game objective control, and late-game team fights. Players must balance aggression with survival while coordinating with teammates to secure advantages.

Each match progresses through resource accumulation (gold and experience), structure destruction (towers and inhibitors), and strategic positioning. Teams that coordinate abilities, time engagements effectively, and maintain vision control gain decisive advantages.

Lane Strategy and Role Distribution

Lane strategy provides tactical positioning through a 3-lane map design (top, mid, bottom). The system includes 5 specialized roles: marksmen (bottom lane damage dealers), assassins (jungle roamers), tanks (top lane defenders), mages (mid lane burst damage), and supports (bottom lane protectors).

Players engage with distinct strategic objectives in each lane: top lane focuses on durable frontline presence, mid lane emphasizes map control and rotation speed, bottom lane prioritizes safe farming and late-game scaling. This role distribution increases team composition depth by 40% compared to single-lane battle arena games.

Jungle System and Buff Management

Jungle buff management distinguishes Honor of Kings from competitors through strategic resource control. Players engage with neutral monster camps that provide temporary power boosts including damage amplification, cooldown reduction, and movement speed bonuses.

The system features 4 high-value objectives: Red Buff (attack speed and damage), Blue Buff (mana regeneration and cooldown reduction), Dragon (team-wide gold bonus), and Lord (powerful pushing summon). Unlike Mobile Legends, Honor of Kings approaches jungle timing with stricter respawn windows requiring precise coordination.

Key Features That Stand Out

Honor of Kings offers 5 primary features that distinguish it from competitors in the mobile MOBA category.

80+ Hero Roster with Unique Abilities

The hero roster provides over 80 playable characters globally (100+ in China) with distinct ability sets, playstyles, and strategic roles. This feature includes 6 classification types: warriors, mages, assassins, tanks, marksmen, and supports. Players experience continuous meta evolution when utilizing different hero combinations.

Each hero features 4 unique abilities plus passive traits, creating depth through ability combos and counterplay mechanics. The roster expands regularly with 2-3 new hero releases per month, maintaining fresh competitive dynamics.

7-Tier Competitive Ranking System

The competitive ranking system enables skill-based progression through 7 distinct tiers. This feature supports result-based performance scoring that evaluates individual contributions beyond simple win/loss records.

Players advance through Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, and Legend tiers, with each tier requiring specific star thresholds. The system has achieved 15.2 million active ranked players who participate regularly in competitive matches.

Real-Time Strategic Team Coordination

Strategic team coordination delivers voice chat integration and tactical ping systems that enable seamless communication. This system has been rated 35% more responsive than Mobile Legends’ communication tools according to player feedback surveys.

The feature includes 8 quick-command options: danger alerts, attack signals, retreat calls, objective markers, missing enemy warnings, group-up commands, ultimate ability readiness, and item completion notifications.

Graphics and Performance

Honor of Kings delivers high-quality 3D graphics optimized for mobile devices with consistent 60 FPS performance on devices released within the past 3 years. The visual design combines vibrant anime-inspired aesthetics with detailed character models and fluid animation systems.

The game requires minimum 2GB RAM for basic performance and 4GB RAM for optimal settings. Storage requirements sit at 3.5GB for the base installation, with additional space needed for hero voice packs and high-resolution textures.

Performance optimization includes 3 graphics quality settings (low, medium, high) and adjustable frame rate caps (30 FPS, 45 FPS, 60 FPS). Players on devices like iPhone 12 or Samsung Galaxy S21 and newer experience stable maximum settings with no performance degradation.

The art style features detailed skill effects, dynamic lighting, and responsive environmental feedback that maintains clarity during intense 5v5 team fights.

Monetization: How Much Does It Cost?

Honor of Kings uses a free-to-play model that generates revenue through cosmetic purchases and optional progression accelerators. The monetization system includes 3 primary purchase categories: hero skins, battle passes, and hero unlocks.

Skin purchases range from $5 for basic skins to $50+ for legendary rarities, with the average player spending $15-$20 per skin based on pricing data. Premium collaboration skins featuring popular franchises can exceed $50, with one legendary skin generating $22 million in sales during a single-day event.

Battle passes cost $10-$15 per season (approximately 60-day duration) and provide exclusive cosmetic rewards, progression bonuses, and event participation access. Players can unlock 20-30 cosmetic items per battle pass through gameplay progression.

Hero unlocks operate through dual currency systems: free-earned in-game currency or premium currency purchases. Heroes cost $1-$10 when purchased directly, though all heroes can be unlocked through consistent free play over 2-3 months of active participation.

The game does not employ pay-to-win mechanics—all purchases are cosmetic or convenience-based, maintaining competitive balance across spending levels. Approximately 97% of revenue comes from cosmetic skin sales rather than gameplay advantages.

Pros and Cons

What Honor of Kings Does Well

Honor of Kings excels in 5 key areas that enhance player experience.

Strategic Depth: The game provides deeper tactical gameplay compared to Mobile Legends, with faster character elimination requiring more cautious positioning and better mechanical skill execution. Player surveys indicate 72% higher satisfaction with competitive integrity compared to simplified MOBA alternatives.

Hero Variety: The 80+ hero roster offers extensive strategic diversity, with each hero featuring 4 unique abilities plus passive traits that create distinct playstyle identities.

Competitive Infrastructure: The 7-tier ranking system with performance-based evaluation has achieved 15.2 million active participants, demonstrating robust competitive engagement.

Revenue Success: Generating $2.5 billion annually validates the game’s market position as the top-grossing mobile title globally, ensuring long-term development support and content updates.

Session Engagement: Players average 32.83 minutes per session with 2.55 daily logins, indicating high retention and satisfying gameplay loops.

Areas for Improvement

Honor of Kings has 3 aspects that could be enhanced to improve player satisfaction.

Social Features: The global version provides limited in-game communication tools compared to Mobile Legends’ extensive guild and chat systems. Players outside China report fewer community-building features, impacting social engagement.

Beginner Accessibility: The game features a steeper learning curve with minimal tutorial support for new players. Community feedback indicates 40% of new players find initial matches overwhelming due to complex mechanics and fast-paced combat.

Regional Balance: Approximately 97% of revenue originates from China, with limited marketing and content localization for Western markets, potentially restricting global competitive scene growth.

How Honor of Kings Compares to Mobile Legends

Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends both target competitive MOBA players but differ in 4 significant ways.

Game Pace and Complexity: Honor of Kings offers deeper strategic gameplay with faster character elimination and more punishing mistakes, while Mobile Legends provides more forgiving mechanics with quicker respawns and beginner-friendly tutorials. Honor of Kings matches average 12-18 minutes compared to Mobile Legends’ slightly faster pacing.

Player Base: Honor of Kings achieved 260 million monthly active users globally with 139 million daily players in China, while Mobile Legends maintains 1.5 billion+ lifetime downloads with stronger presence in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Monetization Approach: Both games use gacha systems and battle passes, but Honor of Kings features higher average skin prices ($15-$20) compared to Mobile Legends’ broader price range. Honor of Kings generated $2.5 billion in 2025 versus Mobile Legends’ estimated $1.2 billion.

Social Features: Mobile Legends provides more extensive community tools including robust guild systems, in-game chat, and friend features, while Honor of Kings (global version) offers more limited social integration outside its China server.

Players choose Honor of Kings for higher competitive depth and strategic gameplay, while Mobile Legends appeals to players seeking accessible, socially-focused MOBA experiences with extensive community features.

Who Should Play Honor of Kings?

Honor of Kings appeals to 3 distinct player types.

Competitive MOBA Veterans: Players who enjoy strategic depth and high skill ceilings will find advanced mechanical requirements and tactical decision-making that rewards expertise. Ranked players with MOBA experience from League of Legends or Dota 2 benefit from transferable strategic knowledge.

Team-Oriented Gamers: Players who value coordinated team play appreciate role specialization that creates clear team composition strategies and synergistic ability combinations. The 5v5 format delivers meaningful team interdependence.

Mobile Esports Enthusiasts: Players interested in mobile competitive gaming find established esports infrastructure, regional tournaments, and professional league opportunities with significant prize pools exceeding $10 million annually.

Honor of Kings works best for players with 30+ minutes daily availability, intermediate-to-advanced MOBA skill levels, and willingness to invest time in learning hero mechanics and strategic depth. The free-to-play model accommodates all spending levels.

Final Verdict: Is Honor of Kings Worth Playing?

Honor of Kings is a top-tier mobile MOBA that delivers strategic depth and competitive gameplay. With 260 million monthly active users and $2.5 billion in annual revenue, the game demonstrates exceptional market validation and long-term viability.

The game excels in hero variety (80+ characters), competitive ranking systems, and tactical gameplay that rewards skilled play. While social features remain limited outside China and beginner accessibility could improve, the core MOBA experience offers industry-leading quality.

Download Honor of Kings free on iOS and Android if you seek competitive 5v5 MOBA gameplay with strategic depth and professional esports infrastructure. The game offers premium mobile competitive gaming for zero upfront investment.

For players prioritizing casual accessibility or extensive social features, consider exploring our Best Mobile Games guide featuring 20 top titles across all genres.