All there is to know about Topson, the star mid laner of OG
Topias Miikka “Topson” Taavitsainen is one of Dota 2’s top stars and became an overnight sensation after joining OG. Here is his complete history in professional Dota 2.
Topson first appeared in professional Dota 2 in 2016, competing with the all-Finnish Oogway team in a number of regional European leagues. The team, which also featured a mix of journeyman and developing talent, most notably 4 Anchors + Sea Captain player Mikko “Vaalix” Ristimäki and Godsent’s Niklas “okcya” Koskinen.
The team dissolved after achieving poor results, with Topson reemerging 18 months later with a team of veterans including Niclas “Niqua” Westergård and Ilya “Illidan” Pivcaev. That team was briefly sponsored by SFTe-sports, but split off from the organization after a few months and then competed as No Rats. The side achieved little of note and dissolved.
Though he had a long layoff after Oogway, he got right back into action after No Rats by competing with 5 Anchors No Captain. The team showed promise in smaller CIS and European events, but notably qualified for WESG 2017 and placed in the top 16 as Team Finland.
The move to OG
At some point, Topson’s performances in pub games caught the attention of OG coach Sébastien “Ceb” Debs. Ceb took note of Topson for his skills and reached out to him when OG was rocked by the sudden departures of Gustav “s4” Magnusson and Tal “Fly” Aizik. Topson joined OG as the team’s new mid laner, making his tournament debut at The International 2018 and winning the event in impressive fashion alongside a returning Ceb.
OG took a brief time off after the victory, but Topson remained active by competing in WESG and as a substitute for other squads. OG returned to action in the following season, but underperformed throughout the year partially due to instability at the carry position.
The team still managed to qualify for The International 2019 after the return of Anathan “ana” Pham, and was dominant en route to capturing the Aegis of the Immortal for the second year in a row. This established Topson and his teammates as the first two-time The International champions in Dota 2 history. Topson also posted a strong performance at the event, collecting more kills than any other player at the event.
Topson remains active with OG as veterans step back
OG took an extended break after The International 2019 with three members of the team stepping away from the game after. Topson and Johan “N0tail” Sundstein were the only players that returned to action for OG in the 2019-2020 Dota Pro Circuit season. A new OG roster was formed around the pair, bringing together other proven stars including Yeik “MidOne” Nai Zheng and Syed “SumaiL” Hassan.
Despite boasting incredible star power, this iteration of OG never gained any footing. Travel restrictions introduced after its formation saw Topson and MidOne stranded overseas and SumaiL forced to play in European events from North America.
Frequent substitutions were made and events were eventually canceled en masse. Topson returned to action in May 2020 after more than three months on the shelf. OG posted mixed results in a series of online events. During this time, Topson and his partner Mawar Remy announced the birth of their first child.
The Dota Pro Circuit returned in early 2021 and Topson continued playing as OG’s mid laner. The team posted middling results during the season, but qualified for The International 2021. OG placed seventh at the event, marking Topson’s first appearance at the event that didn’t end in victory.
Topson takes indefinite hiatus, but return is likely
Following TI10, Topson announced an indefinite hiatus from professional Dota 2. The player hinted at retirement in the lead-up to the event and previously discussed the strain of frequent travel.
Alongside his departure, N0tail and Ceb both moved into non-competition roles with OG. OG stated that Topson will “take a season off.” The rest of the roster was released with a brand-new lineup being revealed that didn’t contain any of the players from the two-time championship roster. Six months later, Topson declared that he was considering a return to action.
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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