Walking through the 2026 Honor of Kings Carnival, I really couldn't help but be drawn to such a huge inflatable doll.
Her calm eyes hold a hint of wisdom, her silly expression reveals a touch of cleverness, and the drool flowing from the corner of her mouth demonstrates ample composure... This is the "Senior Sister" from "Honor of Kings: World," a mascot who has now evolved into a drooling comedic character.
Of course, initially, the Senior Sister didn't give off such a drooling impression—as the spokesperson for the entire project team, she mainly conveyed game-related information to players in a very approachable manner, or distributed some benefits. However, as the game progressed, the Senior Sister迟迟 (delayed) releasing news about Season 2, so players eager for updates began jokingly urging her, creating drooling meme stickers for this slowpoke.
Related fan creations emerged one after another, with many particularly cute AI-generated works gaining significant popularity with official support. But I never expected that besides online memes, "Honor of Kings: World" would also bring the drooling Senior Sister to this Honor of Kings Carnival.
First, there's the inflatable big-head doll mentioned at the beginning. She occupies a corner of the booth, even larger than the statue of Li Bai, the core carry. Located near a main thoroughfare, players passing by inevitably stop to take photos, giggling at the Senior Sister and muttering words like "Season 2," filling the area with a joyful atmosphere.
Hidden in the bushes nearby is another slacking-off Senior Sister, acting suspiciously. She's hiding here wearing a physical drooling headpiece, holding a sign that reads "S2 Under Construction," looking both pitiful and adorable.
By the way, I also found what seemed to be leaked "chat logs" nearby, filled with the dev team's outlook on the future of Season 2, including various mutterings like "working on it, working on it" and "something big is coming," along with more drooling Senior Sister meme Easter eggs.
I have to say, the expressions on these Senior Sisters are truly hilarious, especially when they're turned into booth decorations—it feels like the devs are officially in on the joke. Moreover, I think this is also a form of communication and listening—after all, this image represents the players' expectations for Season 2. These official acknowledgments at the event show that the development team has heard the players' calls, allowing them to share in the fun with the community.
Therefore, this Carnival also provided an opportunity for long-awaiting players to get an early offline look at what "Honor of Kings: World" is about to bring before the new season officially arrives.
The theme of this booth is "The World Has You, The Sword Heart Never Fades," where players will embark on a Sword Heart journey with Li Bai. Li Bai is the new hero to be released in Season 2 of "Honor of Kings: World." Countless players are looking forward to meeting Li Bai again in this world, and the officials clearly understand their eagerness—thus, we get to preview the Poet Immortal's charm at the offline booth.
A sword dance breaks the heart's prison, and the Sword Heart emerges. On the stage at the center of the booth, you can see Li Bai leap out from the game world to perform a sword dance for the audience. Every move embodies intent, perfectly showcasing the Sword Immortal's unique elegance, eliciting countless screams and applause from the crowd.
Entering the exhibition area, you can also find several interesting mini-games, such as using a prop brush to seek the "Sword Heart" amidst poetry and paintings, or challenging your knowledge in a Q&A session. Among these, my favorite was probably the challenge left by Yao—as Li Bai's biggest fan, he directly invites players to recite Li Bai's stories alongside him.
Players participating in the challenge need to complete Li Bai's poems by providing the next line. This test certainly fits Yao's character profile—remember, in the storyline of "Honor of Kings: World," Yao even secretly kept a set of Li Bai's clothes at home.
Following the crowd, you can also see an art exhibition related to the new season. Whether it's character visuals or scene art, it looks quite different from the "Jixia" at launch. The various sceneries of Guye are full of Eastern fantasy charm, while also carrying a strong sense of "chivalry," which fits perfectly with the new hero, Li Bai.
The "Honor of Kings: World" team also stated: "Some yearn for the freedom of roaming the world with a sword, some admire the carefree spirit of revenge and gratitude, but what we most want to leave behind is the chivalrous spirit of drawing the sword for what one believes in, even knowing the path of the Sword Immortal lies ahead. We hope everyone can find their own version of chivalry in the story of Guye Mountain." Surely, this will further increase many players' anticipation for the new season.
Another interesting thing in the booth caught my attention—the Creation Workshop. In the "Honor of Kings" IP, Master Luban's mechanism arts are full of fantasy, but at the Carnival, this fantastical creation from nothing was realized in a remarkably reasonable way—"Honor of Kings: World" partnered with Bambu Lab to let players experience interesting 3D printing technology. Perhaps this is an experience that crosses the boundary between virtual and reality; the so-called "World" exists not only in electronic devices but also around us.
Looking back, what players are truly looking forward to is the continued development and updates of "Honor of Kings: World." As players, they want to continuously invest their passion, participate in exploration, meet more people, and experience more things in this world.
And this Carnival indeed allowed us to catch a glimpse of Season 2... or even more than just a glimpse—from the drooling Senior Sister image, it's clear that players already regard "Honor of Kings: World" as an equal friend. The road ahead will still be long.
On the message board in the exhibition area, I saw a player who wrote:
"Hope memories stay vivid, hope they don't fade."
"Hope our original intentions remain unchanged, hope we stay true."
"Hope the path ahead is smooth, hope it's not too late."
"Hope is no longer just hope."
I think this passage reflects the shared sentiments of many "Honor of Kings: World" players.
From the initial steps into Jixia to the upcoming journey to Guye Mountain, "Honor of Kings: World" is gradually revealing a larger Honor of Kings continent to us. The players' anticipation urges the Senior Sister to keep moving forward. And the Senior Sister, having accepted the players' expectations, might bring more new surprises in the future Season 2.
And all of this might be more than just hope.
