One of the biggest hits at the International 3 this year was the "Secret Shop". Boasting tons of fresh merchandise, people queued for hours just to get their hands on some of the sweet goodies Valve was offering this year. Specially featured were Team Liquid's new Nature's Prophet, Outworld Devourer, and Beastmaster t-shirts, an awesome little Nature's Prophet plush doll, a Brewmaster's "Primal Split Stout" tee and matching pint glass. On top of all that, a lot of the merch came with in-game item codes for sweet in-game goodies!
This is all very cool - but what about the people who didn't make it to Benaroya Hall in Seattle? Well, the good news is that a lot of the merchandise is available at Valve's on-line store but the cool Nature's Prophet plushies (pictured right) are no where to be found!
Being a huge Nature's Prophet fan (my most played hero thank you very much) I am a bit disappointed that I can't find one of these little guys for my desktop. So, being the resourceful guy I am, I checked eBay. WTF! These things are selling for over $100 and being bid up to $200! Seriously... People are bidding these plushies up to $200. There's even one signed by the entire Alliance squad on there for $5,000 (no bids thank god). Insanity if you ask me but I guess some people love NP a lot more than I do.
For those of you who don't want to spend over $100 for a plush doll, and more so for those of you who prefer some other heroes, you can check out the Microplush Blindbox Valve is offering. These remarkably familiar but definitely not pokeball looking pokeballs contain a smaller plush doll. Your potential winnings include: Death Prophet, Enigma, Puck, Ursa, Tidehunter, Faceless Void, or Earthshaker. Bonus: You also get an in game Luckless Lockbox unlock. (These are currently sold out but here's to hoping they restock!)
Either way it is awesome to see some new merchandise hitting the Valve store. Granted the Beta just ended but I think the merch market is about to explode with Dota 2 awesomeness. Stay tuned for more on Dota 2!
I haven't failed to notice the tranquil sea of blissful euphoria the Dota 2 community seems to be comfortably floating on this week. In the wake of the 3rd annual International tournament the community seems to be thoroughly sated when it comes to the competitive scene and who can blame us?
Come Monday morning I almost couldn't fathom watching another game. I spent nearly the entire day Sunday screaming my lungs out; watching some of the most outstanding Dota I could ever have hoped to see - and that was JUST Sunday. For those who watched from the group stages through the Grand Finals, I salute you.
In fact, I salute anyone who tuned in for even one game of the International because you nearly helped make history. The number of concurrent viewers hit the 1 Million mark - coming just short of the record 1.1 Million set by Riots League Championship Series Season 2 Finals. It is a huge win for E-Sports regardless.
However, this calm, this quiet peacefulness, it leaves me wondering what's next? What does this year hold for us in the world of Dota 2?
- There are the post TI3 line-up changes to look forward to. A few people have been hinting at Chuan leaving IG. Bulba has linked Burning with LGD China and Xiao8's potential departure. LGD.int 1437 has even offered his opinion on his teams future and their line up change expectations. Kaipi, who did not make the cut for TI3, have confirmed Arteezy's departure. Some have speculated that the fan favorite SingSing might be their newest member but a recently deleted tweet by EternalEnvy has somewhat ruled out that rumor. So much gossip but so few concrete facts... we look forward to finding out more!
- There are still a few heroes yet to be released, one of them being the highly anticipated Techies. What is Valve's next move?
- Valve's Apparel Shop has been stocked with intriguing new items. Several new t-shirt designs and some other cool stuff like posters, pint glasses, and plushies have hit the shelves. Team Liquid has begun contributing with a few t-shirt designs of their own. Check it out here.
I look forward to bringing you more info on the game you love so subscribe and stop by to keep up to date on Dota 2!
For those of you who don't want to spend over $100 for a plush doll, and more so for those of you who prefer some other heroes, you can check out the Microplush Blindbox Valve is offering. These remarkably familiar but definitely not pokeball looking pokeballs contain a smaller plush doll. Your potential winnings include: Death Prophet, Enigma, Puck, Ursa, Tidehunter, Faceless Void, or Earthshaker. Bonus: You also get an in game Luckless Lockbox unlock. (These are currently sold out but here's to hoping they restock!)
