The global Honor of Kings competitive scene is still young but that doesn’t make the teams less hungry or fierce.
Sixteen KIC 2025 teams have arrived in the Philippines but only one can claim the championship and the lion’s share of one million USD. These teams are the best of the best among HoK’s budding international scene but a few are already standing out.
We’ve got our eye on five teams this KIC who we think are bound to surprise us this tournament.
BOOM Esports
BOOM has had a bit of a tumultuous season this year. They were thought to be the strongest HoK team in the Philippines until they lost to Rough World Era in the HoK Invitational Qualifier. Since then, BOOM has been working hard to get back to the top and have done so together with Blacklist.
Although they’re entering as the second seed, the KIC 2025 teams shouldn’t underestimate BOOM. They’ve proven that they’re equal to Blacklist and are more than capable of punching above their weight.
Nova Esports
The Malaysian powerhouse has once again entered the international stage to remind everyone which SEA region reigns supreme in HoK. And honestly, they have the track record to back it up as they haven’t finished worse than the top four in any tournament they’ve participated in in the last two years.
Suffice to say that Nova are the clear favorites to win among the KIC 2025 teams. They are the peak against which all other teams will be measured, so which team can stack up to the challenge?
Noongshim Redforce
It’s a known fact that when South Korea decides to take an esport seriously, they eventually become one of the strongest competitors in that scene. Right now, Noongshim’s league is barely two years old but they’ve already impressed internationally.
Their second place finish against Nova in the HoK Invitational earlier this year was downright inspiring. They brought an international juggernaut to seven games and proved that they have the potential to take it all with just a bit more experience. We’re excited to see how much the noodleboys have developed in the last six months.
Homebois BSE
Nova may be the favorites but as the defending champions, Homebois aren’t going to relinquish their crown without a fight. Now if they can fix their massively inconsistent performance, they might actually stand a chance.
That may seem harsh but Homebois’ greatest enemies are themselves. But despite their missteps, they’re very much equal with Nova in terms of strength. They may not have as much international experience but if any of the KIC 2025 teams want to stand a chance against Nova, they have to prove themselves against Homebois first.
Blacklist International
Of course, we can’t end this list without mentioning the PKL champs and most popular esports team in the Philippines. Among the KIC 2025 teams, it’s not farfetched to say that they might have the most pressure on them. Many Filipino fans are pinning their hopes on Blacklist to really put the Philippines on the competitive HoK map.
But if there’s any team who can live up to that potential, it’s Blacklist. They’ve shown significant growth in every tournament they’ve joined, international or otherwise. From the HoK Invitational to KWC, Blacklist have always given their all and we’ll see if that’ll finally be enough to get them an international trophy.
Banner photo from Level Infinite.