Global Honor of Kings showdown in 2025 shatters all expectations

The Honor of Kings World Cup 2025 made waves at this year’s Esports World Cup, breaking multiple records and asserting itself as a rising force on the international stage. Hosted in Riyadh’s Boulevard 5v5 Arena, the event brought together 18 elite teams vying for a share of the $3 million prize pool and global audiences tuned in like never before. 

The grand final saw AG Super Play pull off a dramatic reverse sweep against Talent Gaming in an all-Chinese showdown, securing the $750,000 top prize and jumping to second place in the Club Championship standings. The game’s new global reach helped push the tournament to 653,309 peak viewers, making it the biggest Honor of Kings event to date, beating the 2024 MSI. 

This year’s competition also introduced a new GSL-style group format, boosting competitive depth. Interestingly, viewership was concentrated around playoff matches, indicating global interest is still growing but not yet widespread. 

With strong support from Filipino and Chinese audiences, and viewership growth of over 36% compared to previous records, Honor of Kings is clearly positioning itself as a top contender in mobile esports right behind genre titans like MLBB and LoL.