Press release -
Homebois x Black Shrew Esport (HBSE) Crowned The 2025 Honor of Kings International Champions, 2026 Esports Schedule Announced
- Homebois x Black Shrew Esport (HBSE) rise above to take home the prestigious title at the 2025 Honor of Kings International Championship, which caps off a momentous year for Honor of Kings esports
- 2026 promises another year of competitive opportunities at all levels of play with regional, national and international tournaments including the Honor of Kings Invitational Season 4 (KIS4), Honor of Kings Nation Clash, Honor of Queens, Honor of Kings World Cup and Honor of Kings International Championship 2026 (KIC2026)
- The Honor of Kings Invitational Season 4 will kick off the 2026 competitive season in January
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 2 December 2025 — Homebois x Black Shrew Esport (HBSE) has been crowned the winner of the 2025 Honor Of Kings International Championship (KIC2025), earning both the coveted championship title and the lion’s share of the US$1,000,000 prize pool. GuiYu is selected as FMVP for his performance in the Grand Finals, and also awarded an FMVP exclusive skin which will immortalise their victory in-game forever.
Hosted at the Ayala Mall Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines, HBSE went head-to-head with NOVA Esports in a live showdown, taking a 4–0 dominated victory in front of thousands of fans.
The newly added Mini Battle game mode provides grassroots players with a lower-threshold competitive stage, having attracted over 1,000 players to participate with a cumulative total of more than 1,500 matches.
Fans were also treated to a special performance by SB19, the internationally acclaimed Filipino pop group, who sang the tournament soundtrack Burn The Flame. The song reached #1 on iTunes’ Top Songs and Top Albums charts in the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Cambodia, with both its English and Taglish versions topping the charts. The track highlights the passion that drives esports players on their journey to the top. Fans in attendance also got to experience the HOK Carnival activation, which allowed them to obtain exclusive Honor of Kings merchandise.
Additionally, Honor of Queens shined at KIC2025, featuring a total prize pool of $5,400. In the grand finals, AG Global faced Cosmic University, and AG Global claimed the championship title!
The 2026 Honor of Kings Global Esports Roadmap
The 2026 Honor of Kings esports program is set to be bigger and bolder than ever before. The year will start with the Honor of Kings Invitational Season 4, followed by the Honor of Kings Regional Pro Leagues Spring and the Honor of Kings Nation Clash.
In the summer, Honor of Kings will return to the Esports World Cup with the Honor of Kings World Cup. The year will then shift into the Honor of Kings Regional Pro Leagues Fall, and finally build toward the prestigious 2026 Honor of Kings International Championship.
Additionally, the Honor of Queens Tournament, HOK women’s grassroots series, will make its much-anticipated return in 2026, further expanding the competitive landscape.
In-game Honor
Building on its commitment to celebrating champion teams in-game, Honor of Kings will introduce an expanded selection of exclusive rewards for tournament winners in 2026. Champions across major events will receive unique in-game honors, including:
- A Special Skin Carved in Indonesian Culture will be launched during Honor of Kings Invitational Season 4 (KIS4)
- Honor of Kings Regional Leagues – Spring: IKL/MKL/PKL Champion Team–themed Flowborn Outfit
- Honor of Kings Nation Clash: Champion Region–customised Flowborn Outfit
- KWC at EWC 2026: KWC Exclusive Skin
- Honor of Kings Regional Leagues – Fall: IKL/MKL/PKL Champion Team–themed Flowborn Outfit
- Honor of Kings International Championship (KIC2026): KIC Esports Skin and FMVP Exclusive Skin
Game Version Announcement
The Honor of Kings BONDS update is arriving on December 16 with the debut of the new hero Chicha, along with new systems, new gameplay, and a richer overall experience. On December 20, the year-end surprise day, HOK will deliver extraordinary rewards, offering the strongest bonuses and most special perks of the year. Stay tuned!
For more information on Honor of Kings esports news and updates, be sure to follow the game’s official social channels:
Instagram:@HOK Esports
Facebook: @HOK Esports
Twitter: @HoK Esports
YouTube: @HOK Esports
Twitch: @HOK Esports
TikTok:@HOK Esports
About Honor of Kings
Developed by TiMi Studio Group, Honor of Kings has become the world’s most-played MOBA. In 2025, the combined MAU of Honor of Kings titles surpassed 260 million. Featuring highly detailed and diverse character and battlefield design plus music created by world renowned composers including Hans Zimmer, Joe Hisaishi, and Howard Shore, Honor of Kings immerses players in a unique and colorful universe. Honor of Kings prides itself on being free to play and fair to win, with success determined by players' skills and tactics. Honor of Kings is also home to a thriving esports ecosystem supporting competitive play from grassroots amateurs to elite professionals. To learn more about Honor of Kings, follow on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok or visit the official website of Honor of Kings.
About Level Infinite
Level Infinite is Tencent’s global games brand, dedicated to delivering engaging and original gaming experiences to a worldwide audience, whenever and wherever they choose to play. The brand also provides a wide range of services and resources to a network of developers and partner studios around the world to help them unlock the potential of their games. Level Infinite is both publisher of breakout hit games like PUBG MOBILE, Honor of Kings and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and a collaborative partner in games such as Dune: Awakening from Funcom, Warhammer 40K: Darktide and many more. To learn more about Level Infinite, visit www.levelinfinite.com.
