Honor of Kings became the world’s top-grossing game as measured by revenues generated from Apple’s App Store and Google Play combined, according to data from app market research firm App Annie. And according to gaming industry database CNG, the game generated RMB5.5 billion (roughly $828 million) in revenues in Q1 2017 alone.

Honor of Kings’ popularity has made it close to ubiquitous in China. “Now, wherever you see people using their phones around China, you can see that the game has a huge impact in society,” said Matthew Brennan, co-founder of China Channel. “People are making friends through the game and playing it together as a social activity,” he added.

The hack-and-slash action game uses a freemium pricing strategy, where the game is free to download and play. However, players are enticed to make in-game purchases for things like special abilities, apparel and weapon upgrades for game characters. These purchases are where the game generates its revenues.

The appeal of Honor of Kings across demographic groups has also contributed to its explosive rise. The game has found a somewhat surprising user base among women in China, defying stereotypes that these sorts of action games only appeal to men. QuestMobile’s data found that in May 2017, players were 58% male and 42% female.

However, Honor of Kings players fit a more traditional gamer profile in some other ways. QuestMobile’s data showed that more than half (52.5%) of players were ages 24 and under, and nearly eight in 10 were unmarried.

The surge in the game’s popularity in China has also been attended by increased government scrutiny. In early July, Tencent limited playing time among children a day before it was rebuked by The People’s Daily—a state-run newspaper seen as a mouthpiece for the country’s ruling Communist Party—for being addictive.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.emarketer.com