Skip to content

Press release

Honor of Kings World Cup Kicks Off, Featuring the Reveal of Honor of Kings: ACE and Gamescom Showcase

- From world-class esports competition to major game announcements, Honor of Kings delivers a landmark moment at KWC at EWC26
- Honor of Kings officially unveils Honor of Kings: ACE, an all-new strategic hero card battle game
- The Honor of Kings titles booth at gamescom will showcase Honor of Kings, Honor of Kings: World, and Honor of Kings: ACE - and will also host a dedicated Arena of Valor experienceHonor of Kings World Cup Kicks Off, Featuring the Reveal of Honor of Kings: ACE and Gamescom Showcase

    July 30th, 2026 – The Honor of Kings World Cup at the Esports World Cup 2026 (KWC at EWC26) officially began today, bringing together 20 of the world's best teams from both Honor of Kings (HoK) and Arena of Valor (AoV) for the pinnacle of international competition. Alongside world-class esports action, Honor of Kings also unveiled Honor of Kings: ACE, an all-new strategy hero card battler and a major presence at gamescom 2026.

    The KWC at EWC26 will run from July 30th to August 8th in Paris, France, as part of the Esports World Cup. The tournament marks a landmark moment with Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor teams competing on an international stage. The KWC at EWC26 has also expanded its global footprint with new regional representation, welcoming teams from India, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Taiwan region.

    KWC at EWC26 Format and Tournament Patch

    With an innovative cross-title format, the KWC at EWC26 will be played on a dedicated Esports World Cup tournament patch built on Honor of Kings Season 15, a custom version engineered specifically for elite-level competition. An unprecedented roster of 111 playable heroes will be unlocked, allowing never-before-seen team compositions.

    The KWC at EWC26 features three stages. The Play-In Stage sees eight teams compete in BO3 double-elimination matches, divided into 2 groups of 4 teams. The 4 teams advancing from the Play-ins will join the other 12 qualified teams, forming a total of 16 teams for the Group Stage. The teams will compete in a BO3 double-elimination format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Playoffs. The tournament will conclude with an eight-team single-elimination Playoff, featuring BO7 matches, except for the third-place match, which will be played as a BO5. The Global Ban & Pick will be used throughout all stages of the tournament, with the Ultimate Battle format applied during the Playoffs.

    KWC Teams:

    - AG.AL (Title Defender)
    -
    Kuaishou Gaming (King Pro League Spring 2026 - KPL)
    -
    Buriram United Esports(RoV Pro League 2026 Summer - RPL)
    -
    Team Flash (Arena of Glory Spring 2026 - AOG)
    -
    Deep Cross Gaming (Garena Challenger Series Spring 2026 - GCS)
    -
    Team Vitality (Indonesia Kings Laga Spring 2026 - IKL)
    -
    Team Nemesis (Indonesia Kings Laga Spring 2026 - IKL)
    -
    OG Esports (Indonesia Kings Laga Spring 2026 - IKL)
    -
    Aurora Gaming (MY Honor of Kings League Spring 2026 - MKL)
    - Geekay Esports
    (MY Honor of Kings League Spring 2026 - MKL)
    - ROC Esports
    (MY Honor of Kings League Spring 2026 - MKL)
    -
    BOOM Esports (Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 - PKL)
    -
    Titan Esports Club(Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 - PKL)
    -
    Blacklist International (Philippine Kings League Spring 2026 - PKL)
    -
    MIBR.LOS (Honor of Kings Brazil Championship Fall 2026 - CHOKBR)
    -
    Influence Rage (Honor of Kings Brazil Championship Fall 2026 - CHOKBR)
    -
    Virtus.pro (Honor of Kings Major League Spring 2026 - KML
    -
    Nongshim RedForce (Honor of Kings Major League Spring 2026 - KML)
    -
    S8UL Esports (King's Arise India: KWC at EWC26 Qualifier)
    -
    Revenant XSpark (King's Arise India: KWC at EWC26 Qualifier)

    Onsite Activities at KWC at EWC26

    Fans attending the KWC at EWC26 can enjoy a range of exclusive Honor of Kings activities throughout the event, including: - KPL Dream team Showmatch
    -
    HOK Global Influencers Showmatch
    -
    KPL Teams Meet & Greet
    -
    HOK IP Trials at EWC Fanfest

      Introducing Honor of Kings: ACE

      Today at the Esports World Cup, Honor of Kings officially announced Honor of Kings: ACE, the official strategy hero card battler set in the Honor of Kings universe, offering seamless cross-platform progression across mobile and PC.

      Beginning today, the official Honor of Kings: ACE social media channels are live, providing players with the latest news, gameplay reveals, and future development updates. New content will also be shared across all official Honor of Kings channels.

      The announcement also confirms that all four Honor of Kings titles will be showcased together for the very first time at gamescom 2026, giving players an unprecedented opportunity to experience the expanding Honor of Kings universe.

      Honor of Kings at Gamescom

      At gamescom, players can jump back into Honor of Kings and Arena of Valor, experience the latest build of the upcoming Honor of Kings: World, an Eastern Fantasy Multiplayer Action RPG, and be among the first overseas players to go hands-on with the brand-new Honor of Kings: ACE, a strategic hero card battle game.

      The Honor of Kings booth at gamescom 2026 will allow players to:
      - Go hands-on with all four Honor of Kings titles
      -
      Be among the first overseas players to try Honor of Kings: ACE
      -
      Meet and interact with cosplayers from all four titles, gathering together for the first time.
      -
      Take part in interactive booth activities and stage challenges, with special guest appearances
      -
      Pick up exclusive event giveaways

        Worlds of Play: The Game Art Exhibition

        Beyond gamescom, Honor of Kings will participate in Worlds of Play: The Game Art Exhibition, joining more than 20 leading game studios in celebrating the artistry of video games.

        The exhibition will feature an immersive Eastern fantasy-inspired installation showcasing exclusive Dunhuang-themed artwork, a monumental Li Bai "White Phoenix" sculpture, and a curated collection of collectable statues and concept art, inviting visitors to explore the artistic vision behind the Honor of Kings universe.

        Registration for “Worlds of Play: The Game Art Exhibition” is now open. Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited. For more information and to register, please visit tencent.com/worldsofplay.

        ###

        For more information on Honor of Kings: ACE, head over to the game's official channels

        Website: honorofkingsace.com
        Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/honorofkingsace/
        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hokaceofficial/
        X: https://x.com/HonorofKingsACE
        YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Honor...

        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 Global Esports
        X: @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.

        Related links

        Topics

        Regions

        Contacts