A new MMORPG has been introduced: You've never heard of it, but it's a massive game behind it

At the Game Developers Conference 2025, a new MMORPG was showcased behind closed doors, of which you probably haven’t heard anything yet – even though it is arguably the most lucrative game in the world.

Which game is being referred to? It is Honor of Kings, a MOBA from the Chinese mega-corporation Tencent. Many players in Germany are likely completely unaware of the name of the game – and this is despite the fact that it is the most lucrative game in the world.

Within 4 years after release, the free-to-play game has generated 4 billion Euros in China alone, while in Europe it was nearly 180 million Euros (via SensorTower).

With Honor of Kings: World, the MOBA is also getting an MMORPG spin-off. This likewise mixes Chinese mythology with a futuristic look. At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025, some media representatives were already able to test the game.

You can watch a trailer for Honor of Kings: World here:

Honor of Kings: World – Trailer zum neuen MMORPG aus China

Autoplay

MMORPG relies on Monster Hunter for combat instead of Genshin Impact

How does the MMORPG play? Lincoln Carpenter, who was able to try out Honor of Kings: World for PC Gamer, is surprised by the game so far. This is mainly due to the combat – it feels quite different than one might expect.

The game allows you to seamlessly switch between two combat styles, which are based on existing heroes from the MOBA. The concept and design strongly remind one of Genshin Impact, and the UI also gives the impression that it borrowed from there.

Now, one might expect that the combat feels at least somewhat similar to that in Genshin Impact. However, PC Gamer compares it to Monster Hunter:

Weapons have a whole set of combo strings, resulting from chaining heavy attacks and abilities.
The animations give the weapons – including greatswords, bows, and daggers – weight, and attacks cannot be interrupted at will.