Regarded as one of the most spectacular players to watch, Topson’s rise to fame began when OG scouted him ahead of The International 8 (TI8) in 2018.
At the time, Topson had little competitive experience and was not expected to make a significant impact, but he quickly proved doubters wrong by leading OG to victory without losing a single series in the main event.
The following year, Topson and OG made history by winning The International 9 (TI9) in 2019, becoming the first team to win back-to-back TIs without losing a single playoff series.
From standing in at TI12, to getting third place at TI13
Pogson, Godson, Dadson – Topson
After many patches, countless tournaments and some crazy picks we will have to say farewell to Topson as he retires from competitive DotaThank you for everything and all the best.
pic.twitter.com/dE6Va6zj5T
— TUNDRA (@TundraEsports) September 24, 2024
Topson’s career, however, was not without its ups and downs.
After winning TI9, he took a break to focus on his family, returning to the competitive scene in 2022 as a stand-in for T1 and later committing to a full season with Tundra Esports in 2024.
Though his performances continued to meet fan expectations, he was unable to lift another trophy, including at TI13, where his dream of becoming the first three-time TI champion was dashed after Tundra was eliminated in third place by Gaimin Gladiators.
Throughout his eight-year career, Topson became known for his innovative playstyle, regularly choosing off-meta heroes and builds, which often set new trends within the Dota 2 community.
His bold and entertaining approach to the game won him legions of fans and cemented his place in Dota 2 history.
Despite stepping away from competition multiple times, Topson’s retirement this time seems more permanent.
At 26, with two children and nearly USD$6 million in prize money earned, Topson is focusing on family life.
Additionally, Finland’s mandatory military service may be another factor in his decision to retire, a path previously followed by fellow Finnish TI champion, Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen.
As Tundra Esports moves forward, it bids farewell to both Topson and Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev, who also announced his departure.
Despite these changes, the team is expected to compete in upcoming tournaments like PGL Wallachia Season 2 and potentially DreamLeague Season 24.
Topson’s retirement marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy as one of Dota 2’s greatest players.
While fans hope for his eventual return, his exit feels like a true farewell to the professional scene.
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This move generated excitement, among fans, although some, like MiCKe from Team Liquid, have expressed concerns. According to miCKe in an interview with esports.gg, “I believe it will definitely require an adjustment period because when you have a core player transitioning to support, it won’t be completely seamless.
Saksa is a position four player, and Nine [Leon “Nine” Kirilin] who will be assuming the support role, is a player as well.
However, he hasn’t had prior experience playing as a support.”Nine has primarily built his career as a laner.
Has been regarded as one of the top performers in that role.
While some of his skills will carry over to his position, Saksa brings ten years of experience specifically as a support.”It’s quite a change,” miCKe added.
“I anticipate that Nine will need some time to adapt.
However, I’m confident that he will eventually find his footing because he possesses talent.””While there have been instances of role swaps in the past, they have become less frequent recently.
In the case of Nine, he had already begun practicing his role in August.
Tundra and Topson are also performing well in Dota 2 scrims, suggesting that the TI-winning organization may have discovered a winning strategy. Thankfully, Dota 2 enthusiasts won’t need to wait until The International 2023 to witness the Tundra lineup in action.
They will make their debut in DreamLeague Season 21, a tournament with a prize pool of $1 million scheduled to commence on January 13th.
OG will also feature an addition during this event, as they have made a roster change by bringing back a legendary player on loan.
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You’ve all been saying it, and now we’re saying it.
Welcome two-time TI champion, the myth, the legend,@TopsonDota for TI12 #TundraTopson pic.twitter.com/XSbljEJPYs
— TUNDRA (@TundraEsports) September 7, 2023
This significant change in their roster comes shortly after Martin “Saksa” Sazdov revealed he would be taking a break from competitive gaming due to undisclosed health issues.
In response to this change, Tundra Esports is restructuring its team for the upcoming season to accommodate Topson, whom they believe will bolster their pursuit of another championship title.
Topson will take on the midlane role, while Leon “Nine” Kirilin transitions to a position four role.
This shift is a notable adjustment compared to previous seasons when Wu “Sneyking” Jingjun switched to position five to make room for Saksa in the soft support role.
Rumors of Topson joining Tundra had been circulating since August, especially when it seemed likely that Old G, Topson’s previous team, might disband.
Topson confirmed that he would not participate in the The International 12 qualifiers.
Nine had been seen playing position four heroes and rotating frequently in games, fuelling speculation about Saksa’s break and Topson’s potential involvement with Tundra, a team he had briefly stood in for at BetBoom Universe Episode One in February, albeit with a different line up.
This marks Topson’s return to The International after stepping away from OG’s main roster in November 2021 to prioritize family obligations.
He made a comeback by playing for T1 during the Southeast Asian qualifiers and the last chance qualifier for TI11 last season.
The revamped Tundra lineup, featuring Topson, will make its debut at DreamLeague Season 21 on September 18th.
This event will serve as their preparation before heading to Seattle to focus on TI12, which begins on October 12th.
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