In the venue adorned with countless chibi heroes, crowds gathered densely. Following their gaze upward, one could see a giant Little Deer. Its plush-knit-like texture made it appear exceptionally approachable, while the chrome-like stage decorations added a touch of "coolness."
Beside it stood countless players participating in activities and watching performances. The crowd was energized, occasionally erupting in cheers, both affirming the performers on stage and empathizing with the players taking on challenges. Of course, there were also moments when everyone burst into laughter over certain moves, with all guests enjoying themselves...
This is the stage for "King's Wanxiang Chess" at the 2026 "Honor of Kings" Carnival. Classic elements from the "Honor of Kings" IP are recreated here in novel ways, leaving me with a rather奇妙 first impression—if I had to describe it in one word, it would be "fashionable."
Using this term is not without basis. After all, this stage for "King's Wanxiang Chess" is called the "Chess Player Spotlight Show." Accompanied by music played by the on-site DJ, many elaborately dressed chess player cosmakers took the stage to showcase their unique looks.
There was even a magazine-style photo area on site, featuring a publication called "Wanxiang X-VISION," which drew countless players to stop and take pictures. Not to mention the various guests who took the stage—whenever a guest appeared, the entire stage was inevitably drowned out by the cheers of the players.
Amidst the cheers, I barely heard an audience member next to me say to a friend, "The art style looks so high-end."
Indeed, judging by the overall decoration style and color scheme of the stage, the key visual for the "Chess Player Spotlight Show" is quite distinctive. It heavily features dopamine-inducing contrasting colors, paired with mirror-chrome 3D lettering. The contrast between restrained typography and aggressive materials creates a sophisticated sense of tension.
As a result, the entire stage exudes a dreamy, sweet-cool, affordable-luxury, and sparkling texture, differing from conventional game booths and resembling more of a fashion product launch or a luxury brand event. This is especially evident if you look closely at the background screen design—it extensively uses serif English fonts similar to those found on fashion magazine covers, combined with metallic and chromatic aberration effects that evoke an acid art aesthetic, creating a strong sense of trendiness and near-futurism. This may well be the atmosphere "King's Wanxiang Chess" aims to convey to players. If you've carefully observed the system UI or various transition animations in the game, you'll surely notice similar material expressions, demonstrating a consistent design language.
When it comes to chess players modeled after familiar "King's Glory" heroes, you can also spot heavy modern trendy elements. In "King's Wanxiang Chess," each chess player receives a thoroughly modernized new character design. Amidst various futuristic decorations, a timeless trendy language emerges.
But clearly, the impression "King's Wanxiang Chess" leaves goes beyond just being "trendy." You can see that this trendy language extends to the chibi designs of the chess players as well. Resembling the popular "designer toys" of recent years, these designs are not only highly fashionable but also attract a large number of players with their cuteness.
At the carnival, one audience member said to me, "I love playing Yao the most because the Little Deer is so cute." She then showed me her city-level ranking for Yao, clearly indicating she was a specialist player.
She added, "Moreover, Yao's strength is quite good. Don't you think the Little Deer provides a great sense of security in the early game?"
I looked at the muscular Little Deer in the booth, recalling how I had been carried away by two Little Deers just the day before. I nodded at her, thinking to myself, "It's not just the early game that feels safe; the entire match feels secure."
That's right. In fact, throughout the entire carnival, "King's Wanxiang Chess" showcased not just fashion and cuteness, but also its relaxed and quirky side.
For instance, during the outdoor float parade, many cosplayers held signs with slogans like "Playing Sea, Land, and Air without stress" and "Who's blocking my Luna?", bringing much joy to the scene. The reason is simple: "Sea, Land, and Air" offers extreme relaxation, allowing players to empty their minds; while "Luna" has powerful entrance effects, and whether it's "Three-Part Reversal" or "Heluo Ancient Coin Mulan," players often need to pick them up. These experiences, personally felt by players during matches, were amplified offline by the official team, showcasing an approachability that resonates deeply with ordinary players.
The same applies to the "Holiday Twist" and "Special Brew" zones inside the venue—here, players can participate in many fun activities, experiencing the game's unique features while immersing themselves in the friendly atmosphere created by "King's Wanxiang Chess." This atmosphere stems from a setting where everyone gathers, using unspoken "jargon" and sharing inside jokes that bring knowing smiles, allowing them to tease each other. Here, players share common topics and experiences, shaping similar identities together—or rather, the player culture of "King's Wanxiang Chess" is gradually sprouting in this context of player participation and official guidance. For a game that has been online for just over a month, this is quite rare and marks an excellent beginning.
Of course, if "King's Wanxiang Chess" already excelled in player culture during this carnival, then at the Co-Creation Night on the evening of October 25, it elevated that excellence to an even grander stage. No one expected that "King's Wanxiang Chess" would invite Deng Chao to perform two classic songs, "Super Hero" and "Invincible." Even more surprisingly, these already meme-worthy songs kicked off the Co-Creation Night with a thunderous dance routine worthy of a world tour.
When this scene unfolded, the entire venue burst into laughter; no one could keep a straight face in such an atmosphere. But then again, Brother Chao has always loved being abstract, so it was a mutual fit with Xiao Wang. Moreover, the performance aligned perfectly with "King's Wanxiang Chess" itself—"Super Hero" corresponded to the "Super Hero" mode, while the levitation during the performance of "Invincible," combined with on-site smoke and lighting effects, closely resembled Sikong Zhen activating his ultimate ability at level 100. The entire program used a straightforward and entertaining format to blend in-game elements with reality, ultimately becoming a shared punchline for the players.
This actually answers our initial question: Why is "King's Wanxiang Chess" both fashionable and down-to-earth?
The answer is simple: Fashion and trends should essentially be down-to-earth. Whether in visual design, auditory creation, or interactive gameplay, a trend becomes popular because it is attractive enough to generate a spontaneous wave.
How long this wave will last depends on another factor: whether it can inspire participants to engage in repeated re-creation. This is particularly important in the internet age. Content that is repeatedly shared, imitated, deconstructed, or even memed tends to foster a unique sense of identity and belonging among the general public—don't you agree, Teacher Meng Lei?
So from this perspective, the various contrasts displayed by "King's Wanxiang Chess" at this carnival and Co-Creation Night are precisely its most charming aspects. It is fashionable, trendy, and cute enough to attract people; it is fun, full of memes, and entertaining enough to keep them engaged.
What's more interesting is that all of this represents a mutual effort between players and the official team. Within this engaging offline atmosphere, the cultural expression belonging to "King's Wanxiang Chess" and its chess friends is bound to extend further into reality.
As for how far it will extend? I think we can already look forward to the next carnival.
