Merchoid just announced the latest additions to their official DOTA 2 merchandise line: Pudge the Butcher’s Cleaver and Flesh Hook. The iconic Pudge weapons are lifesize foam replicas of those found in DOTA 2.
I know how it sounds, and don’t worry—I’m with you. Flesh Hooks are totally not the kind of thing you want around your house. (Though my Bioshock splicer bailing hook I stole from my family’s barn might suggest otherwise…) On the other hand, these weapons are made of foam, so they’re pretty safe to wield—and cosplayers of the older variety will certainly get a kick out of them. More importantly, if you’re really not into the idea of cleavers and flesh hooks, this is apparently only the first wave of cosplay weapons that Merchoid is releasing. The weapons will all be available in time for this year’s holiday season. Knowing how my siblings and I grew up (with bailing hooks), weapons of the foam variety are infinitely more desirable than the alternative, and kids do tend to navigate towards the thing that looks coolest, so keep an eye on the store and you might see something a bit more to your liking.
The Cleaver and Flesh Hook are 61 cm tall and available for preorder at Merchoid now for $54.99 each. There’s also an Alchemist Plush Hat, also for $54.99. The hat comes with an exclusive DLC code that will allow players to redeem the Midas Knuckles. It will make you look like an Ogre carrying the alchemist Razzill, and it is a lot cuter than the flesh hook.
Creative Director Charanjeet Kondal explained that “[DOTA 2] has consistently been one of the most popular games on Steam for several years now and Pudge is the most used DOTA 2 Hero. Every time we go to a games exhibition, we know there’ll be lots of fans in DOTA cosplay and we really want to add something special to their outfits. When they see them, fans will be hooked!” Oh dear.
