Revision 10

Overview

Honor of Kings: World uses a cosmetic-only monetization model. The game is free-to-play with no upfront purchase, and there is no character gacha. All balance-affecting resources including Resonances, Talents, 唤灵 summoned spirits, equipment, and PvP ranks are earned through gameplay rather than purchased. The cash shop sells outfits, skins, housing decorations, and seasonal passes. Baidu Baike primary text describes the model as "外观付费为主的商业化模式" (a monetization model based primarily on cosmetic payments).

Confirmed Priced Items (S0 Season)

The monthly pass "汐月之礼" is priced at 30 CNY and provides a daily login reward or similar recurring benefit. The mythic outfit "赤星飞烬" is an example of the top-tier cosmetic rarity and is purchased for 3980 units of the 精珀 (Jing Po) in-game premium currency. Specific conversion rates between real money and 精珀 vary by the packs TiMi offers in the PC launcher and mobile store.

What Cannot Be Purchased

The following are explicitly free-to-earn, not behind a paywall, and cannot be upgraded with real money:

• Resonances (共鸣 / combat styles) - unlocked through story, exploration, and events

• Talents (天赋) - earned through Resonance progression

• Huanling summoned spirits - captured, bonded, or quest-rewarded

• Equipment and gear - dropped from enemies, crafted, or quest-rewarded

• PvP ranks and rewards - earned through competitive play

• Main story and side quest content

• Housing plots (basic construction is free; decorations may be purchased cosmetically)

Official Developer Position

TiMi has publicly stated in developer Q&A sessions (notably at GDC 2025, covered by Wccftech) that Honor of Kings: World will contain "nothing that is pay-to-win." The team has framed the storefront as focused on social elements (outfits, mount skins, home decorations) rather than combat power. Baidu Baike primary text explicitly describes the model as cosmetic-based, and the Tencent world.qq.com S0 launch page confirms this framing.

Widely Circulating Unverified Claims

The following claims have appeared on third-party English-language sites without Tencent confirmation. They should be treated as unverified and, in some cases, as direct copies of Genshin Impact mechanics that are not present in Honor of Kings: World:

• A 0.6% 5-star gacha drop rate (copied from Genshin Impact, not confirmed for HoKW)

• 90-pull character pity thresholds (copied from Genshin Impact)

• 80-pull weapon pity thresholds (not applicable; there is no weapon gacha)

• A weapon gacha system (not confirmed and contradicted by the cosmetic-only framing)

• Stamina-style energy systems that gate daily activities

See Gacha and Pity System for more on why these numbers are not load-bearing.

Chinese Regulatory Context

Honor of Kings: World's cosmetic-only model fits within the current Chinese gaming regulatory framework, which in recent years has tightened rules on loot boxes, gacha mechanics, and spending caps. The game's rated 12+ by Chinese 适龄提示 guidelines. The decision to build Honor of Kings: World without character gacha may partly reflect these regulatory pressures, though TiMi has not attributed the design choice to regulation specifically.