Revision 13

Overview

Honor of Kings: World ran a sequence of closed testing phases in mainland China from late 2024 through early 2026, culminating in the April 10, 2026 PC launch. The testing phases were all conducted by TiMi Studio Group in China, under varying degrees of NDA and data-wiping, and covered PC, Android, iOS, and Tencent Cloud Gaming at different stages. A separate first-ever overseas closed PC alpha test opened registration in early April 2026 for select players in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Verified Beta Timeline

July 2025 PC Pioneer Test

The Pioneer Test (先锋测试) was the first PC-only testing phase open to non-internal participants. Recruitment opened on June 25, 2025 via Tencent's official channels, and the test servers went live on July 24, 2025. The Pioneer Test was confidential, unpaid, under NDA, and data-wiped at the end. TiMi published hardware specifications for this test that match what later shipped as the final PC minimum requirements.

The Pioneer Test is the phase most associated with early gameplay leaks in Chinese content-creator coverage, including thousands of hours of Bilibili videos filed under the search term 王者荣耀世界 先锋测试. Creators published both positive and critical impressions, which shaped public expectations leading into the February 2026 paid test.

February 2026 Zhengming Test

The Zhengming Test (争鸣测试) was the last and most comprehensive closed beta before launch. It ran from February 10 to February 23, 2026 across all planned platforms (PC, Android, iOS, and Tencent Cloud Gaming). Unlike the earlier Pioneer Test, the Zhengming Test was a paid test: participants paid a fee for access. It remained under NDA and was data-wiped at the end. This was the first HoKW closed test to include mobile, cloud gaming, and PC simultaneously, and it served as the final combined-platform stress test before the April 10, 2026 PC launch.

Zhengming Test pre-download opened on March 4, 2026 at 17:00 local time. The Chinese primary press (IT之家, Sina Tech, 3DMGame) framed the Zhengming Test as the last feedback window before the launch build was locked.

Chengdu Offline Playtest (October 25 to 26, 2025)

The Chengdu offline playtest coincided with the Honor of Kings 10th anniversary carnival on October 25 to 26, 2025. Unlike the closed home-use tests, this was an in-person playable event where attendees could try Honor of Kings: World on dedicated PC and mobile booths. The event was also the occasion at which Tencent officially announced the Spring 2026 launch window for the game.

Overseas Closed PC Alpha Test

The first-ever overseas closed PC alpha test was announced in early April 2026, days before the China PC launch. Registration opened at honorofkingsworld.com for select players in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. It is an English-only PC build, with test dates still to be announced at the time of the China launch. See Overseas Closed Alpha Test for the announcement context and developer statements from Big Huang, TiMi's Lead Combat Designer.

Important Note on Circulating "Leaked Data"

Many English-language sites published specific gacha rates, pity thresholds, and hero stat numbers attributed to Chinese closed beta phases. None of these figures have been confirmed by TiMi in primary Chinese sources. The final shipping version of Honor of Kings: World has cosmetic-only monetization and no character gacha. Any specific pull-rate numbers circulating online for Honor of Kings: World should be treated as speculative, as they are typically copied from other gacha-based games rather than sourced from HoKW material. See Monetization and Gacha and Pity System for the verified position.