Honor of Kings to adopt ban&pick format globally, with upcoming Phillipines invitational scheduled

Honor of Kings is making major esports announcements for 2025, building on a successful 2024 global launch. Key updates include a new invitational series debuting in the Philippines (February 21st - March 1st), and, most significantly, the global adoption of a ban & pick format for Season Three and all future tournaments.

What is ban & pick? Simply put, once a hero is used by a team in a match, that hero is unavailable for the remainder of the tournament for that team. This means a player's hero choice impacts their teammates' options, but not their opponents'.

This change significantly alters the game's dynamics. Many MOBA players specialize in a limited hero roster. The ban & pick system forces strategic decision-making: prioritize a hero known to counter the opponent, or use a mastered hero, potentially saving it for later rounds? This element of strategic depth should make Honor of Kings esports even more compelling for viewers.

The ban & pick system isn't new to the MOBA genre; games like League of Legends and even Rainbow Six Siege utilize similar mechanics. However, Honor of Kings' implementation differs by placing the ban decision directly in the hands of individual players, emphasizing teamwork and strategic coordination. This innovative approach is sure to add excitement and complexity to future tournaments.