Back in March, Netflix released DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, an animated series based off of Valve’s genre-defining Dota 2. During The International 2021, Valve announced the newest hero to be added to the game is Marci–a character originating from the anime.
In DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, Marci acted as the bodyguard, servant, and confidante of Princess of the Moon, Mirana, one of the main characters of the series. Now, the mute lady-in-waiting is coming to Dota 2 sometime this fall as its 122nd hero, and as the very first hero to come to the game from the anime.
As of now, players don’t know exactly what type of hero Marci will be in Dota 2, but judging from the trailer Valve released during her announcement, one can make a few guesses. The otherwise small and unassuming young woman has exceptional power within her, able to take down large and armored foes with a single strike. Marci could easily be classified in Dota 2 as a strength or agility melee hero based on her skillset from the anime, and considering she’s seen battling jungle monsters alone in a forest in her teaser trailer, she could also end up being the first hard carry added to the game in about five years.
This isn’t the first time Dota 2 and the anime it inspired had crossovers. During the summer, players with the Battle Pass could unlock a persona skin for the Dragon Knight hero Davion that changed his appearance, animations, and voice acting to match the headstrong hero as he appeared in Dragon’s Blood. Dota 2 also revealed a trailer for the second season of the anime, which featured some more familiar faces that are coming to the show from the game, such as the fire-wielding Lina, an iconic intelligence hero in Dota 2.
When DOTA: Dragon’s Blood first aired, Marci quickly found herself installed as a fan-favorite. The mute fighter had a lot to say, even if she didn’t rely on words to say it. Her absurd strength was both a source of comic relief and intense heroics alike. Her honesty, loyalty, and silent-but-snarky humor endeared her to fans almost immediately, making her a perfect pick for Dota 2.
All the same, Marci is not the person many would have expected would be the first original Dragon’s Blood character to come to Dota 2. Despite her popularity, other characters, like the elvish illusionist-assassin Fymryn or the all-powerful goddess Selemene, have powerful and unique abilities that would translate well to a MOBA. Nonetheless, while they may find their place in Dota 2 eventually, it seems the beloved brawler Marci has beaten them to the punch.
Dota 2 is available on PC.
Source: Dota 2 Website