The world’s most-played mobile game just got a new look. Tugging on the heartstrings of China’s AGC-obsessed youth, a new crossover between smash hit Honor of Kings and the nostalgia-drenched IP Hello Kitty has already drawn huge buzz on social media since launching on August 22.
From August 22 to September 6, players can check out Hello Kitty Island Paradise, a new world within the Honor of Kings mobile game. By successfully completing tasks within the world, players can redeem rewards in the game shop, including exclusive new skins for two of the game’s female “heroes” (the name given to playable characters in the Honor of Kings universe), Xiao Qiao and Gong Sunli.
The collaboration has whipped up even more buzz on Weibo so far than the game’s previous effort with luxury jewellery maker Bulgari, which garnered 41 million views in the two weeks following its launch. In just 24 hours, the Honor of Kings x Hello Kitty topic has been viewed over 140 million times and generated close to 8000 original posts.
Gaming brand collaborations are increasingly becoming an extension of the “She Economy” as more women than ever before are devoted gamers. China is currently home to 300 million female gamers, the majority of whom prefer mobile games over other formats. Honor of Kings is at the forefront of this tide, with 54% of its players being women – the highest of any battle arena title. Honor of Kings is also the top-grossing mobile game worldwide, making it a highly sought-after partner for all types of brands with women as their key demographic.
