At its 10th anniversary celebration, Honor of Kings shattered its own records: Daily Active Users on the Chinese mainland soared past 139 million, while global Monthly Active Users topped 260 million. This milestone not only eclipses the previous 100 million DAU high from early 2024 but also establishes a new global MAU benchmark for any game product.
As fans celebrate, the developer also revealed two ambitious projects: Honor of Kings: World, slated for spring 2026 release, and Honor of Kings: Wanxiang Chess, entering large-scale testing this December. These expansions illustrate a broader strategy of maintaining momentum through fresh experiences.
Honor of Kings' success reflects a larger wave of titles from the Chinese mainland gaining global traction. Blockbusters like Genshin Impact, Black Myth: Wukong, Whiteout Survival and Clash of Kings have also climbed international charts.
According to a July 2025 research report on the globalization of the Chinese mainland's game industry, 38 of the top 100 global mobile game publishers are from the Chinese mainland. Between 2018 and 2024, overseas revenue from games developed in the Chinese mainland almost doubled, rising from $9.6 billion to $18.6 billion. The share of revenue from overseas markets climbed from 27.8% to 33.6% – a sign of deepening global roots.
After decades of evolution—starting with one-off copyright buyouts in the 1990s and a web-game boom in the early 2010s—the industry has entered a new phase focused on deep localization. Tencent Games and other leading studios are building local R&D teams and independent international brands, marking a structural shift in how games from the Chinese mainland connect with players worldwide.
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Honor of Kings sets new record with 139 million daily active users
cgtn.com
