Legendary Dota 2 Pro Player Topson Announces Retirement

All roads lead to an end. Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen announced his retirement in the professional Dota 2 scene. With this, the community will not be seeing anymore one of the most celebrated and legendary midlaners in the upcoming tournaments. His career was filled with glory and victory due to his immense contribution to the team. 

Topson, with his team, Tundra Esports, won third place in the recent The International 2024 (TI13). Definitely, the space he left in the competitive scene is greatly felt by the fans and the community. 

A Career Defined by Excellence

The Finnish prodigy came into recognition when he was recruited by OG in 2018. With his team, they secured the crown at The International 2018 (TI8) that made an immediate impact in his debut. Following that year, they’ve graced the world stage with a back-to-back victory in The International 2019 (TI9). 

With these performances, he became known for his unconventional playstyle and surprising hero picks. His aggressiveness in the game is to catch his opponents off-guard. Besides, he has been praised for his strong sense of the game. He is able to turn teamfights into clutch plays. 

Moreover, his achievements made him a standard for a midlaner to some in the Dota 2 community. His legacy earned him fans and nicknames of variety such as “POGson,” “GOGson,” and “DADson.” It just also proves how his absence will be tough to fill in. 

The Final Chapter with Tundra Esports

 

However, it is not merely a land of happiness. Topson eventually took breaks and, on his return, explored opportunities with different teams. Yet he found a shelter in the guide of Tundra Esports during the last two iterations of The International. 

During The International 2023 (TI12), he joined the team as a stand-in member. Meanwhile, he became an active member at The International 2024 (TI13) to help secure the top 3. Unfortunately, they fell short on the third Aegis of Champions. 

While their journey has been brief, it has also been memorable together. Tundra Esports express their sadness upon his retirement news. The team announced on their official Telegram channel, “From a stand-in at TI 12 to a top-3 finish at TI 13. POGson, GOGson, and DADson-TOPSON. After countless patches, endless tournaments, and crazy drafts, we are saying goodbye to him as he leaves competitive Dota. Thank you so much for everything.”

Speculations Surrounding Retirement

Although Tundra Esports broke off the retirement news, Topson had yet to explain his decision. He has not released any personal statement about this sudden move. However, several speculations are already going around in the community. 

Some are guessing that the primary reason for his retirement is a potential military service. Dota 2 champion Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen faced his military service in Finland. This is one of the suggested reasons for the news. Meanwhile, some think that Topson’s gearing up to move forward to another chapter of his life. This time he may be seeking to focus on his family life rather than gaming. 

On the other hand, Topson had achieved a spectacular feat during his professional career. From multiple TI wins to top-tier performances, he cemented his status in the league already. With this, some say that this time, he is trying to explore other opportunities beyond competitive play.

A Farewell to a Dota 2 Icon

Great respect is placed in his name despite the early closure of his chapter in the competitive Dota 2. Topson’s retirement wields greater damage to his fans as they can no longer see him play in glorious tournament stages. Moreover, the suddenness of the news left Tundra quite astray on how to fill up the impact he left. With the void in their roster, many are eyeing the team on the replacement and composition in their upcoming competitions. The team will have its first professional match with their new lineup on October 4 at the PGL Wallachia Season 2. 

With all that, the Dota 2 community bids goodbye to one of the brightest stars in the current league.