Fans are already upset with new Pudge arcana in TI10 Battle Pass

Steven Rondina Published 21/08/2020

The fourth premium skin of The International 10 Battle Pass has arrived.

The Toy Butcher hero persona for Pudge has been added to Dota 2. The skin joins previously released arcanas for Queen of Pain and Wraith King. It also comes following the launch of the controversial Anti-Mage hero persona.

As with other hero persona skins, the Toy Butcher reimagines Pudge’s character while keeping his in-game skills and abilities the same. While Pudge’s humorous voice lines soften the fact that he’s a rampaging cannibal, the Toy Butcher adds some wackiness to the hero by turning him into a literal toy. 

Instead of being a mound of sewn-together flesh, the hero persona turns Pudge into a ragdoll with bits of stuffing poking out from between mismatched pieces of cloth. His hook and cleaver are replaced with an upholstery needle and a pair of scissors, adding cuteness even to his weapons.

Fans unsure about new Pudge arcana

Fan reaction to the skin was mixed, with the most takes being negative. 

The biggest criticism revolved around the smoothness of the textures. Though the Toy Butcher skin should theoretically have a plushy exterior like a stuffed toy, it instead looks more like it’s made of plastic or leather. This is in contrast to the art that was shown in media for the TI10 Battle Pass.

As with the Anti-Mage skin, fans are also griping about the lack of different effects for spells. Though this wouldn’t have been easily executed in the case of Anti-Mage, Valve seemingly missed the mark by leaving Rot green instead of palette swapping it to be white like cotton.

Alongside the launch of the Toy Butcher is The International Announcer Pack. The voice pack brings in John Patrick Lowrie, who has served as a stage personality and announcer for The International for years. This is Lowrie’s seventh voice contribution to Dota 2, also serving as the voice of Storm Spirit, Pudge, Earthshaker, and more.

The Toy Butcher is available to TI10 Battle Pass owners who have reached level 255. The International Announcer Pack is available at level 75.

With their release, the last remaining content for the TI10 Battle Pass is the Compass of the Rising Gail arcana for Windranger and the Immortal Treasure 3 loot boxes. No release date has been announced for either.  

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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