With the global release of Honor of Kings, 2024 has been a landmark year for the game. As we look forward to 2025, the developers have announced exciting updates for the upcoming year. A key highlight is the introduction of a new invitational series in the Philippines, marking its first visit to the country. This event will run from February 21st to March 1st. More crucially, Honor of Kings is set to adopt a global ban&pick format starting with the season three invitational and extending to all future tournaments.
So, what exactly is ban&pick? It's simpler than it sounds. In this format, once a hero is selected by a team in a match, that hero becomes unavailable for the rest of the tournament for that team, though the opposing team can still use it. This rule adds a strategic layer, especially since many players, like the well-known League of Legends streamer Tyler1 who is famous for his mastery of Draven, tend to focus on a limited number of characters.
The Mother of Invention The ban&pick system is a common feature in MOBAs, not invented by Honor of Kings but certainly embraced with enthusiasm. Games like League of Legends and even non-MOBAs like Rainbow Six Siege have used similar systems, though typically, bans are agreed upon by teams before matches. Honor of Kings' approach places the decision-making power directly in the hands of individual players, emphasizing team synergy and strategic planning. Players now face the dilemma of choosing a hero that might be optimal for a specific situation but is mastered by a teammate, or sticking with their main to secure early victories or saving them for critical later matches. This strategic depth is sure to make Honor of Kings' esports scene even more compelling for new and existing fans alike.
