Honor of Kings / Arena of Valor

Arena of Valor is one of the most popular mobile games of today (source: nintendo.co.uk)

Honor of Kings (also translated as King of Glory, known globally as Arena of Valor and formerly as League of Kings) is a mobile gaming phenomenon. Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch users can download this MOBA game for free and start playing immediately. TiMi Studio Group (a subsidiary of the Chinese conglomerate Tencent) earns billions of dollars from this game, making it the most popular mobile game today. Anyone familiar with League of Legends can easily see where Arena of Valor drew its inspiration. However, it’s not a straightforward theft in the truest sense; the story is a bit more complex.

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The tangled history of mobile LoL or Is Riot Games to blame?

After the Chinese conglomerate Tencent acquired the video game company Riot Games in 2015, they tasked them with developing a mobile MOBA game. Essentially, they wanted League of Legends on a phone, but Riot declined, arguing that LoL’s success couldn’t be replicated on mobile screens. How wrong they were… Meanwhile, two development studios – TiMi Studios and Lightspeed & Quantum Studios (both under Tencent) – competed to release a new mobile MOBA game first. Both companies released their titles, and after fierce competition, League of Kings emerged at the forefront, borrowing many elements from LoL. Riot Games complained to Tencent that the game was too similar to League of Legends and constituted intellectual property theft. Since then, TiMi Studios has attempted to take a slightly different direction, but no major changes in the game concept have occurred. The main change came in the game’s name, which has since been known as Honor of Kings (sometimes translated from Chinese as King of Glory). The international release of the game was postponed, and the brand underwent rebranding (previously marketed directly as “League of Legends on mobile”). In 2018, the world finally got to experience Honor of Kings internationally under the name Arena of Valor. Even Riot Games acknowledged the importance of the mobile gaming market after its enormous success and released its own mobile version of LoL – League of Legends: Wild Rift (2019). Today, Arena of Valor enjoys immense popularity, generates millions in revenue for its developers, and has a strong presence in the mobile esports scene.

Game preview

Game mechanics and objectives

When I mentioned above that it’s a mobile copy of League of Legends, I wasn’t lying. The game concept and mechanics are the same, as are many of the original champions. However, we can see minor differences on the map (non-existent inhibitors). The game is played by two teams of five players each (5vs5), two teams of three players each (3vs3), or in a duel mode (1vs1). The objective is to destroy the enemy base. Each team occupies half of the map (both sides are separated by a river), which is divided into three lanes (top, middle, bottom) and adjacent neutral areas (jungle). The map is symmetrical. Each player selects their champion before the match begins. These champions form the core of the game, each unique in their abilities and focus. Waves of minions move along the lanes, and killing them earns you gold and experience. These non-controllable units are also crucial in destroying enemy turrets, as they draw enemy fire. Turrets are a vital element of the game, with three on each lane. In addition to killing enemy heroes and creeps, it is necessary to destroy these turrets because only then will you have the opportunity to attack the heart of the enemy base, which is essential for victory.

How does Honor of Kings / Arena of Valor make money?

Simple answer: microtransactions. The game is completely free, but it offers numerous opportunities to spend money. New heroes can be purchased for gold earned by playing matches, but you can get them faster by purchasing them with real money. The same applies to the heroes and their cosmetic modifications (skins). In Arena of Valor, these skins are non-transferable between accounts and thus unsellable. The game also features loot boxes similar to those in CS, from which you can obtain a random amount of gold or other in-game items by purchasing a key.

Mobile esports and Arena of Valor

AoV tournaments are held in countless regions, each with its own league (e.g., Garena Challenger Series Pro League for Taiwan, Arena of Valor Star League for Europe and America). Two world championships are held annually: Arena of Valor International Championship (AIC) and Arena of Valor World Cup (AWC). The former pits teams against each other for prestige and a large cash prize, while the latter sees players united under their country’s flag, representing it. Among the strongest teams today are eStar Pro China, AG Super Play, and Weibo Gaming. Of course, there are also “second-tier” leagues and tournaments organized by third parties. In our region, this is handled by Playzone (Aov Redemption League).

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2️⃣ Do bookmakers cover Arena of Valor?

3️⃣ When was Arena of Valor released?

Peter Broz

Article author – esports expert
Email: peter@slothbet.com

I came into contact with playing computer games long before a billion-dollar business with professional teams emerged around them. Although I never reached the professional level, I still have many acquaintances among the top esports players today. At SlothBet, I will primarily contribute to the esports section.

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