Honor of Kings: Level Infinite Esports director on expansion, community, and reception

Senior Director of Level Infinite Global Esports Center, James Yang, answered some questions from esports.gg regarding Honor of Kings' global momentum, growth, and reception as an esports title and a competitive mobile game.

We’re encouraged by the growth that Honor of Kings has so far, both as a game and as an esports title. The level of engagement we’ve seen from players, tournament participants, and creators has been promising, and it reinforces our belief in the game’s global potential.

That said, 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.

At the same time, we remain focused on bringing the excitement of Honor of Kings to new audiences and empowering our players across the globe, not just to play the game, but to grow with it as professionals, creators, and community leaders.

We look forward to more players joining Honor of Kings, playing together, and winning together.

We’re excited to see the strong interest and momentum for Honor of Kings in South America, particularly in Brazil. In fact, Honor of Kings became the most downloaded MOBA game in Brazil shortly after its release in 2023, which is a strong validation of its appeal among local players and fans. This kind of traction gives us confidence in the long-term potential of the region. It’s one of the most passionate and competitive gaming markets in the world, and the response to KWC 2025 reflected that Brazil was the largest player base outside of China and Southeast Asia.

The Brazilian team A7 finished in 5th–8th place, proving that Brazil’s esports teams still have a strong presence and competitiveness on the global stage. In esports particularly, South America is part of our regional professional leagues. CHOKBR is the professional league in Brazil, and we are happy to see more and more esports players from Brazil shine and show their talents on Honor of Kings global esports platforms.

The Honor of Kings International Championship (KIC) is one of the most important global esports tournaments from Honor of Kings. However, this is more than just a tournament; we see it as a “festival” for all Honor of Kings players, which is why we host it in different countries to engage with our players offline. This year, we’ve chosen the Philippines because of the immense energy and passion of Filipino players. We highly value the Philippine market and hope that through KIC’s presence in the country, we can host a huge offline festival that will attract more players to join. This is a significant opportunity for us to demonstrate our appreciation and prioritization of the Filipino community within the esports landscape.

KIC being held in the Philippines for the first time represents a significant step in our global esports expansion strategy, further reflecting our commitment to making Honor of Kings more accessible and inclusive by lowering barriers to entry and empowering players from all corners of the world to shine on the international stage. KIC is not just about competition—it’s about celebrating diverse gaming cultures and delivering immersive experiences that resonate with local communities. By bringing KIC to new regions, we’re laying the foundation for a truly global esports ecosystem.

Southeast Asia continues to be a key region for Honor of Kings. From Indonesia and Malaysia to the Philippines and beyond, we’ve seen impressive growth, passionate player engagement, and a fast-maturing esports ecosystem. It’s one of the most dynamic regions globally, and our continued investment here—through localized tournaments, creator partnerships, and major events like KIC—reflects our belief in the long-term potential of SEA.

With KIC, we’re not only providing a stage for top teams to compete for international glory, but also showcasing the region’s incredible talent and passion to the world. Events like these help us strengthen our presence, inspire the next generation of players, and bring us one step closer to building a truly global esports ecosystem.

The Honor of Kings Nation Clash (KNC) is designed as a celebration of Southeast Asia’s vibrant and competitive spirit. By bringing together national teams in a unique regional format, it adds new emotional stakes—allowing players to proudly represent their countries and giving fans a rare chance to rally behind national squads.

The stakes are both competitive and symbolic. The winning region will receive the exclusive in-game Flowborn design set—a prestigious reward that creates a deeper connection between the players, their achievements, and the in-game universe. This adds an extra layer of pride and recognition that goes beyond trophies or prize money.

For us at Level Infinite, launching KNC is a strategic step in deepening our commitment to Southeast Asia as a key growth region. We want this tournament to not only showcase top-tier talent, but also ignite excitement at the grassroots and national level. The format is tailored to resonate with local audiences, combining high-level play with a strong community narrative.

While KNC is new, our vision is for it to grow into a recurring event that players and fans can look forward to year after year. It’s a chance to elevate regional competition, foster rivalries, and celebrate Southeast Asia’s growing impact on the global Honor of Kings esports scene.

While much of our recent focus has been on building strong foundations across Asia—particularly in Southeast Asia—we absolutely see Honor of Kings as a global title, and expanding into new regions is a key part of our long-term strategy.

The strong response we’ve seen from markets like Brazil, MENA, North America, and Europe has shown us that there’s growing demand and enthusiasm for Honor of Kings far beyond Asia. We’re actively exploring ways to support that momentum, whether through localized content, regional tournaments, or strategic partnerships that help us engage with players in a meaningful, culturally relevant way. With BLOODTHIRSTYKINGS (BTK), we’re excited to expand our presence in the NA market further and deepen our connection with players in this region, tapping into the growing competitive esports scene there.

Our approach has always been to grow responsibly, ensuring that we’re not just launching the game in new markets, but also investing in community building, creator ecosystems, and competitive pathways that can sustain long-term engagement. The recent global expansion of tournaments like KIC and the strong participation from non-Asian teams are just early steps in that direction.

The driving inspiration behind the Open Series is inclusivity—we wanted to create a competitive pathway that welcomes players at all levels, especially those who might not yet see themselves as professional esports athletes. Not everyone starts with the goal of going pro, but many still want to test their skills, compete with friends, or simply be part of something bigger within the community.

The Open Series lowers the barrier to entry by offering localized, accessible tournaments that make competitive play feel within reach. For casual players and viewers, it creates a space where they can engage with the game beyond ranked matches—whether by participating, supporting local teams, or watching emerging talents from their region rise through the ranks.

Ultimately, the Open Series is about community building. It helps foster a stronger connection between players and the Honor of Kings esports ecosystem, making sure that everyone—not just the top 1%—has a chance to be part of the story.

Sustaining and deepening engagement across our regional professional leagues is a top priority for us, both from a player development and fan experience perspective. We believe a strong league isn’t just about high-level competition; it’s about building lasting connections between teams, players, and the communities they represent.

On the player side, we’re focused on providing better support systems, including training programs and more tournaments—from the Open Series, Campus Series, and Regional Professional Leagues to global tournaments—for players to participate in.

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