With the global release of Honor of Kings, 2024 has been a landmark year for the game. As we move into 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 for the first time, scheduled to take place from February 21st to March 1st. Even more significant is the adoption of a global ban&pick format for the Season Three Invitational and all subsequent tournaments.
But what exactly is ban&pick? It's simpler than it sounds. In this system, once a hero is chosen and used by a player on one team during a match, that hero becomes unavailable for the rest of the tournament for their team. This means if a player on your team uses a particular hero, that hero is off-limits for the rest of your team's matches, although your opponents can still use it.
This change introduces a crucial dynamic to the game, especially for MOBA enthusiasts who often focus on mastering a limited set of characters. For instance, consider the well-known League of Legends personality Tyler1, who is famously associated with his preferred champion, Draven.
The Mother of Invention
It's clear why ban&pick is a popular strategy in MOBAs. Honor of Kings is not the first to implement this system; games like League of Legends and even titles outside the genre, such as Rainbow Six Siege, have similar rules. However, in those cases, bans are typically agreed upon by teams before the match.
In Honor of Kings, the ban&pick system places the decision-making directly in the hands of individual players, emphasizing team cohesion and strategic planning. Players must decide whether to select a hero they know is effective for a particular situation, even if a teammate has mastered that hero, or to use their main hero to secure early wins while saving them for critical later matches. This new format is sure to make the Honor of Kings esports scene even more thrilling and engaging for new viewers.
