Honor of Kings adopts global ban&pick format, Phillipines invitational next

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 exciting updates lined up for the next 12 months. One of the highlights is the introduction of an invitational series in the Philippines, marking its debut from February 21st to March 1st. However, the most significant news might be the global adoption of the ban&pick format for the season three invitational and all future tournaments.

So, what exactly is ban&pick? It's simpler than you might think. In this system, once a hero is selected and used by a player on a team during a match, that hero becomes unavailable for the rest of the tournament for that team, though not for their opponents. This rule adds a strategic layer to the game, as many MOBA players tend to specialize in a limited set of characters. For instance, the well-known League of Legends player Tyler1 is famously associated with his mastery of Draven.

The ban&pick system is a popular feature in MOBAs, and *Honor of Kings* is not the first to implement it. Games like League of Legends and even titles outside the MOBA genre, such as Rainbow Six Siege, have similar rules. However, in those games, bans are typically agreed upon by teams before the match. In *Honor of Kings*, the decision is placed in the hands of individual players, emphasizing team coordination and strategy. Players must decide whether to choose a hero suited for a specific situation or save their main hero for crucial matches later in the tournament. This new format is sure to make *Honor of Kings* esports even more thrilling and engaging for new audiences.