The Honor of Kings International Championship 2025 (KIC 2025) stands as the pinnacle of the global Honor of Kings circuit — a world championship where 16 elite teams gather to chase prestige, legacy, and a share of the USD 1 million prize pool. Hosted in Manila this November, the event once again united the strongest regions, the most passionate fanbases, and the most ambitious competitors the game has seen.
For RRQ, KIC 2025 was not just another tournament. It was a journey built on belief — belief from the fans, belief from the region, and belief that the team could rise again when given a chance.
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A Path Through Phoenix Reborn
RRQ secured their place at KIC 2025 through the Phoenix Reborn Qualifier — a unique pathway reserved for the two teams that gathered the highest in-game voting numbers among those who did not qualify through their regional leagues.
This qualification method gave RRQ something rare and powerful: a direct reminder that even when results fall short, the strength of their community never wavers. RRQ arrived in Manila not only as competitors, but as representatives of the fans who voted tirelessly to see them on the world stage.
The Structure of a Global Battle
The competition was divided into two main phases:
Group Stage (November 14–18, 2025)
– 16 teams divided into four groups of four
– No seeding
– Double Elimination, Best-of-5
– Top two teams from each group advance to the Knockout Stage
Knockout Stage (November 20–30, 2025)
– Group winners face group runners-up
– Double Elimination, Best-of-7
The format ensured that every match mattered. Every mistake could be punished. Every adaptation was crucial.
Group C: A Southeast Asian Gauntlet
RRQ was placed into Group C, alongside:
- Alpha Gaming (Malaysia)
- Kagendra (Indonesia)
- BOOM Esports (Philippines)
A uniquely intense grouping, made up entirely of Southeast Asian contenders — familiar opponents, familiar playstyles, and absolutely no room to hide.
Opening Match: RRQ vs Alpha Gaming
RRQ began their journey against Alpha Gaming. Despite strong preparation, Alpha delivered a clean performance, securing a 3–0 victory. RRQ showed moments of promise, but Alpha’s discipline in objective control and macro decision-making proved too sharp to overcome.
The loss pushed RRQ into the lower bracket, where survival became the only option.
Elsewhere in the Bracket: Kagendra vs BOOM
On the opposite side of the group, Kagendra battled BOOM Esports in a close, thrilling series. After five intense games, BOOM emerged victorious 3–2, sending Kagendra down to meet RRQ in an all-Indonesian showdown.
It was the kind of matchup no one wants to play — two teams from the same homeland, fighting to eliminate one another on the world stage.
Lower Bracket: RRQ vs Kagendra — A Clash Between Brothers
The elimination match between RRQ and Kagendra was a fierce, emotional battle. Both teams understood each other deeply — the tempo, the rotations, the comfort picks, the late-game tendencies.
RRQ came into this series looking revitalized. Their drafts were sharper, their gameplay more decisive, and their confidence clearer than in the opening match. They pushed Kagendra to their limits, taking the series all the way to a 5th game.
But in the end, Kagendra found the final breakthrough and secured the win 3–2, ending RRQ’s KIC 2025 campaign.
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A Chapter Closed, But the Story Continues
RRQ’s journey in the Honor of Kings International Championship 2025 ended earlier than hoped. But the heart of this story is not in how it ended — it’s in how it began.
RRQ reached Manila not because of standings or seeding, but because thousands of supporters chose to believe. The Phoenix Reborn vote was more than a qualifier. It was a message:
“We still want to see RRQ on the world stage.”
And that belief is something no scoreboard can measure.
RRQ leave KIC 2025 with lessons, with fire, and with the knowledge that their community will always be there — loud, loyal, and unwavering. The journey may have stopped in Manila, but the story of the Phoenix continues, rising again with every step forward.