Honor of Kings

Former *Honor of Kings* player Xu “Xiran” Ruoyu was found safe after posting a message indicating suicidal intent and organ donation plans. eStar Gaming, his former team, confirmed his discovery with police assistance. Xiran is receiving medical care and family support. eStar emphasized his past dedication and is committed to helping him overcome personal difficulties since leaving the team. The incident highlights the mental health pressures in esports and the need for support.

Tencent’s Q2 earnings report reveals a surge in gaming revenue, driven by the continued success of Honor of Kings. Domestic game revenue rose 17% year-over-year to RMB 40.4 billion, with Honor of Kings being a key contributor. AppMagic data shows it as the sole mobile game exceeding $1 billion in H1 revenue. Honor of Kings, celebrating its 10th anniversary, has topped global mobile game revenue for three years and shows impressive growth. Overall game revenue increased by 22%, and international game revenue also surged by 35%, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of record highs.

A lawsuit challenging the algorithm behind Tencent’s “Honor of Kings” was heard in Shenzhen. Lawyer Sun Qianhe, frustrated with the game’s matchmaking, initiated the “First Chinese Game Algorithm Litigation,” demanding transparency in the game’s algorithm. Sun argues the suit, despite concerns about judicial resource allocation, is crucial for improved regulations and safeguarding public interest. She believes challenging opaque algorithms is a necessary cost for institutional updates towards a more just legal framework.

Tencent is facing a lawsuit in China over the matching algorithm in “Honor of Kings.” A player alleges the algorithm manipulates matches to force a 50% win rate and is suing for disclosure of the algorithm’s mechanics. The plaintiff cites consumer rights to information. Tencent claims the algorithm is a trade secret. This is reportedly China’s first case concerning gaming algorithms. The lawyer aims to raise awareness about algorithmic fairness in the industry.