Valve tends to save a big announcement or two about their biggest moneymaker, Dota 2, for the International tournament, the year’s championship and one of the biggest eSports events in the world. True to form, they have released a trailer that showcases two new heroes coming soon in the MOBA hit, one that was most likely dug up by data miners a few months ago. Check out the trailer below:
The focus of the trailer is on a pangolin-inspired swashbuckler. Decked out in flowing purple armor and a cavalier’s hat, he dices foes up with a rapier, rolls into a tight ball to avoid attacks, and does so with “style.” He sounds an awful lot like Lumiere, the candlestick from Beauty and the Beast, or some bizarre take on Zorro. Expect him to join the ranks of Dota 2‘s dexterity heroes; he most likely zips in and out of the fray and can burst heroes down.
At the end of the trailer, a pink fairy with a frightening pet is revealed, speaking with the pangolin. This is most likely Sylph, a hero that data miners uncovered information on from an update earlier this year. You can read the Reddit post on the information they found here. If it is Sylph, it seems likely that she will have abilities called Grapple, Shadow Realm, Flash Powder, and Will-O-Wisp. Expect a tricky support hero with maybe one or two powerful, high cooldown abilities (she seems like a similar flavor to Puck).
The finals for the International are happening today, and it’s good to know that Valve is adding a few more heroes to the already massive Dota 2. They have not added a new hero since the Monkey King in December of 2016. Expect these two new heroes in the upcoming “Dueling Fates” update, which does not yet have a release date.