Logistical challenges surrounding the pandemic in China forced officials to reschedule the event. By August 2021, Arena of Valor and Honor of Kings announced an esports apex, as both scenes merge together at the AWC 2022 in a single world cup event. The highly anticipated Arena of Valor event in 2022 will bring both of the game’s fan bases together. Fans can expect the game developer to introduce exciting new updates for AoV. According to Tencent Games, the organizer expects a balanced and fair competition.
As a MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) game, Honor of Kings has captured the hearts of fans and esports leagues across the globe. Initially, the game’s developers focused on reaching Chinese populations. After creating an expansive multi-million player base, the game creator adapted the original game, calling the adaptation "Arena of Valor." Although AoV followed Honor of Kings structure, it also found its own fan following, reaching millions across the world. The main difference in the two games is the variation in heroes.
For AoV, creators developed heroes specifically for the Western market. In 2017, Honor of Kings enjoyed more than 80 million active players daily and 200 million active players monthly, catapulting the title into the world’s more popular game. That year, the title grossed in excess of $13.4 billion, making it the highest grossing game available on mobile in the world. By 2020, the game enjoyed more than 200 million active players daily, and the numbers continue to climb.