OG's Topson to take a break from pro Dota 2 to be with family
OG midlaner and two-time The International (TI) champion Topias "Topson" Taavitsainen announced on Friday (19 November) that he will be taking a break from competitive play and skipping the 2021-2022 Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) season in order to spend time with his family.
Following OG's disappointing showing at TI10 in October, where they got swept out of the tournament by eventual champions Team Spirit, Topson sat down with the team and explained that "his motivation for competing had dwindled".
"[Topson] needed a season off to spend time with his wife and kid, and enjoy playing Dota for fun [...] That his love for the game was the fuel behind how he played and was able to bring the best out of himself. And that right now, he needed time away with his loved ones to find peace and light the fire again," said OG.
While Topson won't be competing professionally for the foreseeable future, he will still remain a presence in Dota 2 by returning to streaming during his break.
“I wanna thank all the fans, everybody that’s been supportive all these years, even now when it’s been harder… It’s been really nice to have that fanbase, and I’m just gonna take a chill pill for a year or something, stream for you guys. Just have some chill vibes,” said Topson.
“Topias, you are one of a kind my friend. The nicest and most professional player I have ever worked with. Thank you for showing up everyday with a smile and a great attitude. Rest up my friend, spend time with your lovely family, stream and enjoy playing Dota for fun, and take care of yourself! Already looking forward to our next table tennis midnight showdown!” added OG CEO JMR Luna.
Topson burst into the Dota 2 competitive scene in 2018, when he went from being a relatively unknown pubstar into a TI champion practically overnight by helping OG in their miracle run to the Aegis of Champion in TI8.
While many dismissed their run to the championship at TI8 as a fluke, Topson and OG proved doubters wrong in the following year. They dominated TI9 and defeated Team Liquid, 3-1, in the grand finals to become the first-ever team to claim the Aegis of Champions twice and in back-to-back years.
With Topson taking a break from competitive play, only Johan "N0tail" Sundstein remains in OG's roster and is the only player still active from the lineup that won the Aegis of Champions in TI8 and TI9.
OG offlaner Sébastien “Ceb” Debs notably announced on Thursday (18 November) that he is retiring from professional Dota 2 after over a decade of competing. Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan and Martin "Saksa" Sazdov also parted ways with the team earlier this month.
OG is expected to announce more news regarding its roster in the coming days.
The 2021-2022 DPC season will be starting at the end of November and has been split into three Tours for the Fall, Winter, and Spring, with the regional leagues taking place from 29 November 2021 to 17 July 2022.
OG Dota 2 roster:
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Johan "N0tail" Sundstein
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