Honor of Kings to adopt ban&pick format globally, with upcoming Phillipines invitational scheduled

Honor of Kings is making major esports headlines for 2025! Following its global launch, the game is bringing an invitational tournament to the Philippines for the first time, running from February 21st to March 1st. But the biggest news is the global adoption of the ban & pick format for Season Three's invitational and all future tournaments.

What exactly is ban & pick? It's simpler than it sounds. Once a hero is used by a team in a match, that hero is unavailable to that team for the rest of the tournament. A player using a hero effectively removes that option from their own teammates, but not their opponents.

This is a significant change. Many MOBA players specialize in a limited roster of mastered heroes. Think of Tyler1 and his Draven mastery in League of Legends – this new system adds a strategic layer.

The popularity of ban & pick in MOBAs is understandable. While not a new concept (games like League of Legends and Rainbow Six Siege utilize similar systems, often with pre-match bans), Honor of Kings' implementation puts the decision directly in the hands of individual players, emphasizing team coordination and strategic choices. Players must weigh the benefits of using a familiar, mastered hero against the needs of the team and the potential consequences of removing that option for their teammates. This dynamic is sure to make Honor of Kings esports even more compelling for viewers.