Dota 2 and Scotch whisky brand Ballantine’s have collaborated in celebration of the game’s 10th anniversary and unveiled two limited-edition Ballantine’s Finest x Dota 2 bottles.
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As well as this, an exclusive short film featuring the characters Brewmaster, Juggernaut, Lina, Marci and Monkey King on a quest to secure a dram of Ballantine’s has been revealed. Check it out below:
Fans outside of Asia will be losing out, however, as the whisky bottles are exclusive to China.
“Ballantine’s has a storied history of collaborating with the unexpected, especially partners who have stayed true to their original vision,” said Mathieu Deslandes, global marketing director of Ballantine’s at Chivas Brothers, in a press release.
“Dota 2 is a globally iconic game, with a particularly big influence within China’s gaming community, so it was a no-brainer for us to work together during this historic year for the game.”
Earlier this month, Ballantine’s collaborated with AC/DC to create a limited edition whisky as “a tribute to the world’s Finest music artists” in its ‘True Music Icons Collection’.
It also crossed over with Borderlands 3 after appointing Mad Moxxi as its chief galactic expansion officer (or CGEO) of the brand. The real life bottles arrived with content codes for in-game gifts in the sci-fi shooter, allowing players to customise their character with unique styles.
Last but not least, Ballantine’s was the official spirits partner for Tundra, Liverpool FC defender Virgil Van Dijk’s esports team, for the team’s title defence at The Dota 2 International 2023.
In other gaming news, Counter-Strike 2 players have been banned for spinning around too quickly in the warm ups, and one fan has deemed it “the most serious bug” in the game.