Topson will not play in The International 12 qualifiers

There is no doubt that this summer of 2023 is intense in the Dota 2 competitive scene at all levels of play. However, we are very close to starting one of the most important tournaments on the competitive calendar, the regional qualifiers for The International 12.

While some teams have managed to seal their ticket to TI12 thanks to their excellent performance throughout 2023, one legend has yet to write his name in the tournament and most likely won’t, Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen. Furthermore, Topson himself revealed that he has no plans to play the qualifiers for TI12, so we won’t have one of the most popular legends of the game at the ultimate competitive event in the Dota 2 scene.

Topson reveals he won’t play TI12 qualifiers

In a ranked match last August 10, 2023, Topson was playing on the same team as Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev. At some point during the game, RAMZES666 gave him some words of support and wished Topson all the luck in the lead-up to The International 2023. However, the two-time TI champion and one of the game’s legends said, “No quals for me.”

First, remember that Topson is part of the Old G lineup, very close to the disbanding team, especially after Sébastien “Ceb” Debs joined OG to contest this season. However, this was not the breaking point, as Old G’s season in the DPC has been disappointing.

About Topson

The two-time TI champion decided to take a break in 2022 from the competitive scene for several months, but he returned to contest the T1 qualifiers and came very close to qualifying.

Now, without a team to back him up, Topson will not be able to contest the TI12 qualifiers with his team and may not have received offers to play with other teams due to some personal difficulties.

On the other hand, it is also fair to point out that Europe has a large base of Dota 2 players, but team lineups are compacted during a good season. Now, stepping out of their comfort zone to contest the qualifiers may be an option for many, including Topson, as he had a fully active 2023 year. However, Old G’s disappointing season in the DPC makes this all but impossible.

On the other hand, if we take into account that Ceb is a co-owner of OG, if Old G were to get their ticket to TI12 just like OG, this could be a big problem for the team since, Valve does not allow two teams from the same organization to participate in TI.

Topson and his possible signing with Tundra Esports

While nothing is confirmed, fans have a theory that places Topson playing for Tundra Esports in the coming days. This all comes after Leon “Nine” Kirilin, Tundra’s mid-laner, played position 4 in his solo practices earlier in the week. In addition, this comes on the fact that, most likely, Martin “Saksa” Sazdov decides to take a break from the competitive scene. As a result, Tundra Esports’ Mid Lane would be fully available, and, according to fans, Topson would fill this spot.

Topson may also have an Ace up his sleeve with his “no quals for me” comment, as he might join Tundra Esports and get the direct invite to TI12 without playing the qualifiers.

Header: Bart Oerbekke | Turtle Entertainment