Closed beta tests

Overview

Honor of Kings: World has undergone multiple closed beta test (CBT) phases since its announcement in October 2021. These tests provided TiMi Studio Group with player feedback and technical data while giving select players early access to the game's content. The game was first announced by Tencent Games and TiMi Studio Group in October/November 2021, with a collaboration with science-fiction writer Liu Cixin (author of The Three-Body Problem) announced at the same time.

Beta timeline

CBT 1. Beijing in-person test (October 2024)

The first closed beta was held in person in Beijing on October 26–27, 2024. This was not a traditional online beta. Players physically attended a testing venue to play the game. The test focused on core combat mechanics and initial content, providing the development team with direct observation of player behavior and real-time feedback.

CBT 2. PC-only test (July 2025)

A larger-scale PC-only beta test launched in July 2025. Recruitment ran from June 25 to July 14, 2025, and servers went live on July 24, 2025. The test was confidential, non-commercial, and featured a data wipe at conclusion. This was the first beta to test the game at scale with remote players and provided the hardware requirement benchmarks (RTX 2060+ minimum, 16 GB RAM, 50 GB SSD).

CBT 3. Cross-platform test (February 2026)

A new closed beta with recruitment from February 10–23, 2026. This test notably supports cross-platform play across PC, Android, iOS, and cloud gaming: the first beta to test the full multi-platform experience. This is a paid beta with a data wipe, and NDA remains in effect.

NDA and content restrictions

All closed beta phases have been under strict NDA. Players must sign a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting sharing of gameplay footage, screenshots, or streams. Sharing, lending, or selling test accounts is forbidden. Violators lose test qualification immediately and permanently. The NDA will presumably be lifted for an eventual open beta or launch.

Community feedback impact

TiMi Studios has publicly acknowledged several changes made in response to beta feedback. These include adjustments to the difficulty curve of early dungeons, improvements to the camera system during boss encounters, and refinements to the Flow style switching animation to make transitions feel smoother. The gear enhancement system was also simplified after beta testers reported that the original version was overly complex.

Release timeline