Honor of Kings is making major esports headlines for 2025! Following its global launch, the game is bringing its first-ever invitational tournament to the Philippines, running from February 21st to March 1st. Even bigger news, however, is the global adoption of a new ban & pick format for Season Three and all future tournaments.
What exactly is ban & pick? It's simpler than you might think. Once a hero is used by a team in a match, that hero is unavailable to that team for the rest of the tournament. This means a player's hero choice impacts their team's options, but not their opponents'.
This adds a significant strategic layer to the game. Many MOBA players specialize in a small roster of mastered heroes—think of Tyler1's iconic Draven in League of Legends. Ban & pick forces players to consider team synergy and adaptability, adding a new dimension to gameplay.
Ban & pick is a popular mechanic in MOBAs, used in games like League of Legends and even outside the genre in titles such as Rainbow Six Siege. However, in those games, bans are often pre-determined. Honor of Kings' implementation puts the power directly into the players' hands, emphasizing teamwork and strategic decision-making. The dilemma of choosing between a situationally optimal hero and a team member's mastered character will create exciting moments and enhance the viewing experience for esports fans. This change is sure to make Honor of Kings esports even more compelling.
