Honor of Kings 2025 Esports Calendar: A Year of Intensive Competition
The 2025 esports calendar for Honor of Kings is set to be an exciting and packed year, with several key events and new initiatives announced by Tencent and Level Infinite.
Honor of Kings 2025 Esports Calendar Overview
The calendar kicks off at the end of January 2025 and will feature a variety of tournaments catering to players of all levels, from amateur to professional teams. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:
Honor of Kings Open Series Split 3
The year begins with the Honor of Kings Open Series Split 3, which will run from late January to April 2025. This grassroots-level competition is open to all teams from every region, providing an entry point for amateur teams to ascend to higher levels of competition. The Open Series is divided into several stages, including registration and qualifiers, the top 16 round, and the elimination rounds leading up to the grand final.
- Registration and Qualifiers: January 24 – February 7
- Qualification: February 8 – 12
- Round of 16: February 15 – 16
- Quarterfinals and Semifinals: February 22
- Final: February 23
This series will cover multiple regions, including Southeast Asia, South Asia, MENA, South and North LATAM, and North America, as well as South Korea, Japan, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Western Europe.
Honor of Kings Invitational Season 3
Following the Open Series, the Honor of Kings Invitational Season 3 will take place from February 21 to March 1, 2025, in Manila, Philippines. This is the first time the Invitational will be held in the Philippines. The best professional teams from around the globe will compete for a share of the $300,000 prize pool.
- Group Stage: February 21 – 24
- Knockout Stage: February 25 – March 1
The Invitational Season 3 will also feature the Global Ban&Pick system, a feature that Honor of Kings pioneered back in 2018, adding a strategic layer to the tournament.
Regional Leagues: Major East and Major West
In addition to the global events, two new regional leagues, the HOK Major East and HOK Major West, will be introduced. These leagues will provide more frequent competition and will help determine which teams will qualify for the Honor of Kings x Esports World Cup and the Honor of Kings Championship.
Honor of Kings x Esports World Cup
The annual Honor of Kings x Esports World Cup will return in the summer of 2025, this time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This event is expected to have a significant prize pool, similar to the previous year’s $3.05 million. The World Cup will be a crucial midpoint in the esports calendar, offering teams a chance to compete at the international level.
Fall Season and Championship
After the World Cup, the Fall season will commence, followed by the Honor of Kings Championship 2025, which will be the pinnacle event of the year. The Championship will conclude the 2025 esports season, crowning the best team of the year.
New Initiatives and Changes
Level Infinite has also announced several new initiatives to enhance the esports ecosystem. A third-party tournament application page will be launched, allowing potential organizers to obtain tournament licenses and receive support based on the size and nature of their events.
Additionally, Honor of Kings esports will adopt a global ban system, where champions banned during the pick/ban phases of best-of series cannot be played at all during that series once banned. This change aims to add consistency and fairness to the competitive scene.
Conclusion
The 2025 esports calendar for Honor of Kings promises an action-packed year with diverse opportunities for players at all levels. From the grassroots Open Series to the prestigious Honor of Kings Championship, this year is set to be a thrilling ride for both competitors and fans alike. With new leagues, global events, and innovative competitive features, Honor of Kings continues to solidify its position as a major player in the esports world.