Honor of Kings is a free-to-play 5v5 mobile MOBA made by TiMi Studio Group and published worldwide by Level Infinite. Two teams of five heroes push along three lanes, knock down defensive towers and try to destroy the enemy crystal. The first team to break the other side's crystal wins.
What is Honor of Kings?
Honor of Kings is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) built for phones. It first launched in China in 2015 and reached most other regions on June 20, 2024, when Level Infinite released the global version. TiMi Studio Group, part of Tencent, develops it. You download it for free on Android and iOS and can buy optional in-game items such as skins.
Heroes are drawn from Chinese history and myth, and each one fits a role: warrior, assassin, mage, marksman or support. As of October 2026 the global version is in Season 16, which started on September 23, 2026 and added new heroes plus a seasonal skill called Flow State.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | TiMi Studio Group (Tencent) |
| Global publisher | Level Infinite |
| Global release | June 20, 2024 (China: 2015) |
| Platforms | Android and iOS |
| Price | Free to download, optional purchases |
| Genre | 5v5 mobile MOBA |
| Current season | Season 16 (from September 23, 2026) |
New to the genre? Our page with every game explained puts Honor of Kings next to the other titles we cover.
What is the objective of Honor of Kings?
Over the long run, the goal is to master a few heroes, climb the ranked ladder and collect heroes and cosmetics along the way. Inside a single match, the goal is simpler: destroy the enemy base crystal before your own falls.
The map has three lanes. The top lane is usually called the clash lane, the bottom lane the farm lane, and the middle lane sits between them. A jungle full of neutral monsters fills the space in between. Waves of minions march down each lane on their own. Your team escorts them, kills enemy heroes, takes jungle buffs and big objectives, and breaks towers lane by lane until the crystal is open. A normal match lasts about 15 to 20 minutes.
How do you win a match in Honor of Kings?
In the standard 5v5 map you win by destroying the enemy crystal. Kills, gold and towers only matter because they help you get there. A team with fewer kills can still win by sneaking a push while the other team chases fights.
| Mode | Team size | How you win |
|---|---|---|
| Ranked (5v5 standard map) | 5v5 | Destroy the enemy crystal; wins add stars to your rank |
| Classic matches (5v5) | 5v5 | Destroy the enemy crystal, with no rank on the line |
| Smaller PvP formats | 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3 | Reach and destroy the enemy base on a smaller map |
| Season 16 battle royale | Four teams of two | Be the last pair alive as the play area shrinks |
| Practice against bots | Solo or with friends | Destroy the AI team's crystal while you learn heroes |
Event and seasonal modes rotate, so check the lobby for what is open this week. The 2v2v2v2 battle royale, for example, is a short Season 16 mode built around the new Flow State skill.
How does ranked work in Honor of Kings?
Ranked opens after a short account-level requirement. You earn one star for a win and lose one for a loss. Fill a tier's stars and you move up. The tiers run Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Master, each split into divisions, then Grandmaster. Above Grandmaster you keep collecting stars through Mythic and Epic, and Legend starts at 100 stars.
Bravery Points soften the grind. You earn them by finishing games without going AFK and by playing well, and they can protect a star after a loss or add a bonus star. Higher tiers use a draft, where teams ban and pick heroes in turn, so you need more than one hero ready. Each new season brings a soft reset based on where you finished.
We are building detailed Honor of Kings guides. Until then, everything we publish lands on the Honor of Kings guides hub.
Beginner tips to win more in Honor of Kings
- Learn two roles. Pick one main role and one backup so you are useful whatever the draft gives you.
- Last-hit minions. The final blow on minions and monsters gives the most gold, and gold buys the items that win fights.
- Watch the mini-map. A missing enemy is often walking toward you. Glance at the map every few seconds.
- Play around objectives. Fight when a big jungle objective or a tower is up for grabs, not just because an enemy is nearby.
- Do not chase too far. Long chases into enemy towers or the jungle are a classic way to throw a lead.
- Push after a won fight. If two or more enemies are dead, take a tower before they come back.
- Use the recommended builds at first. They are a safe start. Change items once you know why you are changing them.
- Stay in the game. Leaving or going AFK costs Bravery Points and hurts your team.
How can Boosting Games help with Honor of Kings?
Boosting Games sells fixed-price Honor of Kings services. The prices below are starting prices as of October 2026, and the exact price for the option you pick shows before checkout. Everything is listed in the Honor of Kings services collection.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Honor of Kings Coaching | Live coaching from an experienced player. | From $15 |
| Honor of Kings Duo Games with a Pro | A pro queues and plays with you. | From $12 |
| Honor of Kings Ranked Wins | The number of ranked wins you choose. | From $10 |
| Honor of Kings Ranked Stars Pack | A pack of ranked stars. | From $9 |
| Honor of Kings Rank Boost to Grandmaster | A rank climb up to Grandmaster. | From $8 |
| Honor of Kings Mythic, Epic & Legend Push | A push through the star tiers above Grandmaster. | From $39 |
You can read the full order steps on our how it works page, or open the Honor of Kings boosting page to compare options.
Honest risk note: Level Infinite treats your access as a personal, non-transferable licence, so letting someone else log in to your Honor of Kings account goes against its rules and can lead to penalties. Piloted orders, where a booster plays on your account, carry the most risk. Duo games keep the login with you and carry less, and coaching carries none. Read our account safety notice before you order. We never sell accounts, tokens, skins, items, cheats or mods.
Get help with Honor of Kings
Pick a service and an option, see the exact price before you pay, and follow progress on your private order page.
See Honor of Kings servicesAsk Boost Up AIRelated reading: our beginner guides to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Brawl Stars, plus the Honor of Kings guides hub. Not sure which service fits? Ask Boost Up AI.
Honor of Kings FAQ
Is Honor of Kings free to play?
Yes. Honor of Kings is free to download on Android and iOS. The store sells optional virtual currency that you can spend on in-game items such as hero skins. You do not need to spend anything to play ranked or any of the main modes. Most new players build a usable pool of heroes simply by playing regularly, finishing events and picking up season rewards, then decide later whether any cosmetics are worth buying.
How long is a match of Honor of Kings?
A standard 5v5 match usually lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. Close games with long standoffs can run longer, and one-sided games can end sooner once a team breaks through the towers. Seasonal modes are much shorter: the Season 16 battle royale for four pairs is built to finish in about three minutes.
Is Honor of Kings the same as Mobile Legends?
No. Both are 5v5 mobile MOBAs with three lanes and a jungle, so they feel similar at first. Honor of Kings is made by TiMi Studio Group and published globally by Level Infinite, while Mobile Legends: Bang Bang comes from Moonton. Heroes, items, maps, objectives and ranked tiers are all different, and your progress does not carry over between them.
What is the best role for beginners in Honor of Kings?
Many new players do well starting as a support or a sturdy warrior. These roles teach you the map, timing and team fights without needing perfect gold farming. Once you are comfortable, try a marksman or mage in the farm or middle lane. Whatever you choose, focus on two or three heroes rather than trying the whole roster at once.
When does a new Honor of Kings season start?
Seasons in the global version usually run for about three months. Season 16 started on September 23, 2026, and brought new heroes, the Flow State seasonal skill and a short battle royale mode. Each new season applies a soft rank reset, so finish your season rewards and pass tiers before it ends.
How do stars work in Honor of Kings ranked?
Each ranked win adds one star and each loss usually removes one. When you fill all the stars in a division, you move up. Bravery Points, earned by playing well and not going AFK, can protect a star after a loss or grant a bonus star. From Grandmaster upward, stars keep counting, and Legend starts at 100 stars.
New directions: Honor of Kings Ranks Explained: Tiers, Stars and Seasons (2026) and all raid and dungeon guides.
Sources: Wikipedia: Honor of Kings, Google Play: Honor of Kings, esports.gg: Season 16 overview, Pocket Gamer: ranking system, BlueStacks: ranked mode guide, Level Infinite terms.