Honor of Kings Launches HOK Studio and Announces King's Arise India Qualifier for EWC26
- Sagar Mankar
- 7 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Honor of Kings is making a serious move in India, launching a dedicated creator platform and announcing a competitive qualifier that leads straight to the global stage.
Publisher Tencent, operating under its global brand Level Infinite, has officially unveiled HOK Studio alongside the King's Arise India: KWC at EWC26 Qualifier.
It is targeting both the content creation side and the competitive scene at the same time, giving creators and esports teams something concrete to work toward.
HOK Studio: A Home for Indian Creators
HOK Studio is the game's official creator platform, built specifically to develop a localized content ecosystem in India. The first phase of the platform includes a Content Creator Incentive Program valued at over 10 million rupees.
Creators who join the program can expect a solid set of benefits:
Cash rewards
In-game tokens
Exclusive in-game rewards
Official promotional support from the Honor of Kings team
Early access to updates
Participation in special campaigns
The platform is open to creators at every level. Whether you are just starting out or already have an established audience, there is a place for you here. Supported content formats include short videos, livestreams, tutorials, esports coverage, and entertainment content.
Dean Huang, Producer of Honor of Kings, shared his thoughts on the India push. "India is a key market and the company aims to build a strong localized ecosystem that goes beyond gameplay," he said. He further added that HOK Studio and the esports pathway reflect a long-term commitment to both creators and competitive players in the region.
King's Arise India: The Road to EWC26
On the competitive side, Level Infinite has revealed the King's Arise India: KWC at EWC26 Qualifier. This is the tournament that will decide which Indian teams get to compete on the global stage at the Esports World Cup 2026, where the total prize pool sits at a massive 3 million US dollars.
The full schedule for the Indian qualifier is as follows:
Registration: April 19 to 26, 2026
Open Qualifiers: April 30 to May 3
Online Playoffs: May 8 to 10
Offline Finals: May 17
India Prize Pool: 5,00,000 rupees
According to the official announcement, five teams from the open qualifiers will join a group of invited organizations. The invited teams already confirmed include S8UL Esports, RNTX, and Aeternity Esports. From there, two teams will earn the right to represent India at KWC during EWC26.
The tournament structure itself follows global competitive standards. Formats such as Global Ban and Pick and a best-of-seven Grand Final with an Ultimate Battle format will be used, keeping the competition level in line with international play.