China's Honor of Kings Team Wins Asian Games Gold, Celebrations Span Five Cities
The Chinese national team for Honor of Kings, the world’s most-played mobile game, defeated Malaysia 4-0 on September 28 to retain its Asian Games gold medal in Nagoya, Japan. The victory marked the second straight Games in which China has taken the title in the title in the mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) event, following its debut win at Hangzhou 2022.
The win quickly spilled beyond the arena. Chinese esports club KSG rented large digital billboards in five locations — Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, plus Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Suzhou — to celebrate the team’s gold. The Shibuya display was scheduled to run from September 28 through October 4, lighting up one of the world’s busiest pedestrian intersections every hour between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. The Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Suzhou ads appeared on subway screens, turning daily commutes into impromptu viewing parties.
Xinhua, China’s state news agency, released a short documentary titled “Same Frequency, Rising Together” about the squad’s run, focusing on players who came from different professional clubs, put on the same national jersey, and blended veterans with first-time national team members. The film’s title, drawn from a Chinese expression about comrades-in-arms, framed the win as a story of teamwork rather than individual stardom.
Club AG also published a long essay about one of its players, Yinuo, describing the 2022 Asian Games as a turning point in his career. The piece traced his journey from Chengdu, a four-year gap since his first trophy, roster changes, and uneven league results, to a breakout performance on the international stage. The gold medal, the club wrote, is only a few hundred grams but carries the weight of every heartbeat behind it.
Esports is a medal sport at the Asian Games, and the Nagoya edition has drawn intense interest from Chinese fans. Honor of Kings, developed by Tencent, is a cultural phenomenon in China, with a massive domestic league and a growing international footprint. Its inclusion in the Games has helped push mobile esports toward mainstream recognition, even as debates continue over game genres and competitive formats.
Beyond the arena, players have been active on livestreams and social media. One top laner, 369, told viewers he has no shortage of offers from playoff-caliber teams, while another star, Bin, discussed an AI-generated short drama about a top player, praising how far artificial intelligence tools have come. Such moments reflect how Chinese esports personalities now mix competition with entertainment and tech commentary.
The gold rush also arrives alongside other esports headlines: AL shared a trophy-lifting photo with fans, and the Asian Games overall have drawn mixed reviews, with at least one Indian badminton player criticizing the Nagoya organizers’ athlete arrangements compared with Hangzhou three years ago. For China’s Honor of Kings squad, though, the focus stays on the scoreboard — a 4-0 final that leaves little doubt about who rules the mobile arena.