OG announces new sponsor ahead of The International 2019

OG has announced an official partnership with SteelSeries.

The gaming peripherals and accessories manufacturer is partnering up with the European squad at the perfect time, with the news coming just a few weeks ahead of OG competing at The International 2019. OG made the reveal on its Facebook page.

“It’s a pleasure to once again be working with SteelSeries, their products have been part of my entire life,” OG captain Johan “N0tail” Sundstein said. “This is an exciting chapter for us and I’m expecting great things”.

Those sentiments were echoed by SteelSeries CEO Ehtisham Rabbani. “We’re proud to be working with them and providing the tools that they need to continue winning at the highest level,” he stated.

SteelSeries has a long history in the Dota 2 space. The manufacturer has sponsored several top organizations including Invictus Gaming and Evil Geniuses, alongside a number of events. It also sells Dota 2-branded gear.

Though SteelSeries will no doubt be pleased to have their logo featured at The International, it is unclear how much screen time they will get off this investment.

OG’s chances at The International 2019

Despite entering the 2018-2019 Dota Pro Circuit season as champions, OG stumbled badly when carry player Anathan “ana” Pham took a break from competitive Dota 2.

The team experimented with a number of replacements in the months that followed, but failed to post any strong placements and missed out on the first three majors of the season. Ana returned in March and helped the team sneak into TI9 with a sixth-place finish at the MDL Disneyland Paris Major and top-eight performance at the Epicenter Major.

Along the way, OG proved itself capable of beating elite Dota 2 teams like Team Secret and Evil Geniuses but there is no way to tell if they will be in top form in Shanghai.

TI9 will start on August 15. A total of 18 teams will be fighting for their share of a prize pool worth more than $31 million.