With the global release of Honor of Kings, 2024 has been a banner year for the game, and 2025 promises even more excitement with major esports updates. The highlight is the inaugural invitational series in the Philippines, scheduled from February 21st to March 1st. But the game-changer for the season three invitational and all future tournaments is the adoption of a new global ban&pick format.
So, what exactly is ban&pick? It's simpler than it sounds. Once a hero is selected by a player on a team during a match, that hero is off-limits for the rest of the tournament for that team, but not for their opponents. This rule adds a strategic layer, as players often specialize in a limited set of characters. For instance, the well-known League of Legends player Tyler1 is famous for his mastery of Draven.
Ban&pick isn't a new concept in MOBAs; games like League of Legends and even non-MOBAs like Rainbow Six Siege have used similar systems. However, in those games, bans are typically agreed upon by teams before the match. Honor of Kings' approach puts the decision-making power directly in the hands of individual players, emphasizing team coordination and strategy. Players must decide whether to use a character they're proficient with early on or save them for critical later stages of the tournament.
This innovative format is likely to make Honor of Kings' esports scene even more appealing to new audiences, enhancing the excitement and strategic depth of the game.
