After a long-awaited global rollout, Honor of Kings has finally arrived in India. The mobile MOBA giant, known for its massive player base, is looking to make a splash in one of the world’s fastest-growing gaming markets, and this is delightful news for players in the region.
We at GamingonPhone sat down with Dean Huang, the Game Producer of Honor of Kings, to discuss the team’s vision for the Indian community, their massive financial commitment to local creators, and the esports pathway.
Please note that this interview has been edited for clarity.
A Heartfelt “Namaste” to the Indian Gaming Community
The journey to India has been a long time coming for the development team. Dean says the team is “profoundly excited and humbled” to finally welcome the local players to the game.
“India has one of the most vibrant and passionate gaming ecosystems in the world, and this launch represents a milestone we have long worked towards,” he says. For Level Infinite, this isn’t just about adding another region to the map.
“We are committed to engaging with, learning from, and growing alongside this incredible community. Our goal is to become a part of India’s growing gaming landscape, delivering top-tier mobile esports entertainment while celebrating the local spirit. We extend our sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and look forward to writing this next chapter together, in and out of the arena.”
The anticipation for the title was evident long before the servers went live, with pre-registrations quickly soaring past the 2 million mark. Dean notes that the team is “genuinely inspired” by this response, seeing it as a clear message from the fans.
“This level of excitement tells us that Indian gamers have been waiting for a deep, strategic, and socially connected mobile gaming experience, and it reaffirms our belief in the immense potential of the Indian market. We see this as a warm embrace from a community that values competitive spirit, teamwork, and rich gameplay, which are core pillars of Honor of Kings,” he explains.
However, he also views these numbers as a challenge. “While we are thrilled by this momentum, we also see it as a responsibility. It pushes us even more to ensure that the game experience we deliver meets and exceeds the high expectations of our new players.”
₹100 Million Investment with a commitment to reflecting Indian Culture
Beyond just releasing the software, Level Infinite is putting significant capital behind the Indian scene. Dean revealed a massive roadmap for the local ecosystem, including a 100 million INR (₹10 Crore) investment dedicated to supporting creators and esports. While this is amazing news on its own, content-wise, this gets much more exciting.
Emphasizes that the goal is to build a “localised, respectful, and thrilling competitive ecosystem that Indian gamers can proudly call their own,” Dean shares: “A culturally inspired Hero based on Indian heritage is already in the pipeline and will be introduced to players in the next version update scheduled for this June.”
For many Indian players, seeing their own culture reflected in global titles is a major draw. Dean confirms that the June update isn’t just a one-off, but the start of a “localization journey.” Huang shares: “We feel it is important to provide Heroes that appeal to players from around the world and resonate with their respective cultures and celebrate key events in their calendars, such as festivals or landmark events.”
“Our plans include developing more content that resonates deeply with Indian players. This means exploring not only Heroes and skins inspired by India’s epic stories and iconic aesthetics but also local collaborations and in-game events tied to major festivals,” hinting at what’s in store for the future. He adds that the team wants to weave “authentically Indian” elements into the fabric of the game to celebrate landmark events on the Indian calendar.
Efforts to bring dedicated local servers and optimization for budget-friendly devices
In a high-intensity MOBA, milliseconds matter. To address connectivity concerns, Dean confirms that the infrastructure is already in place. “To support players in India, we have deployed dedicated server infrastructure, together with a locally deployed Content Delivery Network (CDN) and Battle Suit Accelerator,” he tells us.
This setup is designed to deliver a smooth and secure environment. “India is one of the fastest-growing gaming markets globally, and we remain committed to supporting the ecosystem’s growth by providing a localised and secure environment where players can enjoy the game with confidence.”
India’s mobile market is largely driven by a diverse range of devices, with a significant portion falling within the budget-to-midrange segment. This ecosystem also represents a major share of the country’s mobile gaming audience. Keeping this in mind, Dean notes that “accessibility is key” to their strategy, ensuring that hardware costs don’t gate the game.
“A significant part of our development philosophy for the Indian launch has been optimisation without compromise. Our team has undertaken extensive localisation and technical optimisation to ensure that Honor of Kings delivers a smooth, visually engaging, and competitive experience across a wide range of devices, including budget-friendly smartphones popular in India,” he shares.
An outline of the plans is given below.
Adaptive Graphics Technology: The game will feature scalable graphics settings that automatically adjust to a device’s capability, ensuring optimal performance and battery efficiency without sacrificing core visual quality or gameplay fluidity.
Lightweight Asset Optimisation: A streamlined game assets and reduced installation sizes where possible, making the game easier to download and run smoothly on devices with varying storage and memory specs.
Ongoing Performance Monitoring: Post-launch, the team will continuously monitor performance metrics across device types and regions, and roll out updates to further enhance stability and responsiveness based on performance insights and community feedback.
Further, he notes: “Our goal is simple: every player, on every device, should experience the thrill, excitement, and social connection that defines Honor of Kings. We believe that great gaming should be defined by skill and passion, not hardware limitations.”
Integrating India into the Global Esports Circuit
The hunger for a new “Tier-1” title in India is high, and the roadmap for competitive play is already moving at lightspeed. Dean revealed that Indian squads won’t have to wait long to see the global stage, and the team plans to introduce our global tournament structure soon.
“I can share that India will have 2 slots for KWC at EWC26 this year!” Dean reveals. To get there, the team is launching the Honor of Kings Campus Series (KCS) to introduce structured collegiate competition across India, helping nurture grassroots talent and create a clear pathway for players to progress within the Honor of Kings esports ecosystem.
Then there’s the KINGS’ Arise: India City Tour across Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi. “These offer grassroots competitive opportunities and a clear pathway for players to progress within the Honor of Kings esports ecosystem,” Huang concludes.
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