Did the TI10 True Sight leak a new model for Morphling?

True Sight gives Dota 2 fans an inside look at the grand finals of The International, but the TI10 edition also gave a sneak peek at a potential Morphling makeover.

The True Sight documentary series is a cornerstone of Dota 2 esports. The feature-length films show both teams emotions and strategies during the grand final of The International, the biggest esports event by prize money in history. In the case of TI10, fans got to see Team Spirit triumph over PSG.LGD in a five-game series. However, it may have also shown a new model for Morphling, one of Dota 2’s ugliest heroes.

The model appeared in a brief in-engine animation during a crucial team fight in game two. Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov’s Magnus managed to blink behind two heroes and Skewer them into a big Reverse Polarity. One of those heroes was Wang “Ame” Chunyu’s Morphling, which looks distinctly different in the trailer compared to his normal model. 

Soon after the movie was released, Dota 2 fans were quick to point out the strange-looking Morphling model. His shoulders flare out into horns covered in white water. In addition, his “legs” have a spiral of white water around them. Morphling himself also seems a few shades lighter, but that could be due to the lighting engine.

The new model for Morphling may be exclusive to True Sight 

Morphling has the worst model of any hero in Dota 2, but the version of Morph leaked in True Sight may unfortunately not come to the actual game.

The Morphling model in True Sight doesn’t register as anything special at first glance, but by comparing the two models side-by-side, we can see many obvious differences. The older model has considerably less white foam, and the spiral near his base is much simpler. The True Sight version even has foam on the arms, which could be a callback to his Blade of Tears immortals cosmetic.

There’s no doubt that this is a special model, but will it come to Dota 2? Water is an extremely taxing thing to animate, and having a character made of it only makes the problem worse. His polygon count could reach well past five digits if Valve’s artists put enough effort into it. He also has 14 different sets, a taunt, and multiple immortals that would need to be adjusted. However, the base model itself appears finished.

With all that in mind, it’s possible that the new Morphling remodel will be released after The International 2022. It would be a nice surprise for the community. And for all fans know, Valve could have a secret Morphling arcana to pair with the new model. However, there’s always the chance that this is just a cinematic model and will not be brought to the actual game.