Legendary pro and 2-time TI winner Topson retires from Dota 2

TI13 will mark the final tournament of one of the most impactful pros in Dota 2 history. Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen is departing Tundra Esports to retire from competitive Dota 2. 

After being one of the first players to lift the Aegis twice, the two-time TI winner and father figure had a shot at becoming the only player to win three TIs two weeks ago at The International 13, doing it with Tundra Esports. 

Unfortunately for his fans, his dreams of becoming the undisputed best player in the world would be crushed after him and his troops were eliminated in third place by the Gaimin Gladiators. 

After The International 10 in 2021, Topson stepped back from professional Dota to focus on his family, as his wife had given birth to his first daughter. However, he would return to the scene in 2022 acting as a stand-in for T1, and committed to another chapter with Tundra Esports this year. Though he was performing up to the expectations of fans, he failed to lift a single trophy despite playing the entire 2024 season. 

Still, the 26-year-old is one of the most successful players in the game’s long history. Topson’s career lasted eight years, though it only kickstarted in 2018 when he made the life-changing decision to join OG. He would earn close to $6 million in prize money on the back of two TI titles. 

Upon entering the tier one scene as a last-minute recruit for OG ahead of The International 8, Topson immediately made a name for himself globally for playing unorthodox heroes and builds in the mid lane. He wasn’t scared to pick off-meta heroes. Instead, he was the one creating the meta. Topson had an entertaining playstyle of fast-paced gameplay that pleased viewers and would somehow make any goofy build work, prompting fans to try it out themselves. 

The Dota 2 scene will experience a massive loss with Topson hanging up the keyboard and exiting the professional scene. But his daughter is growing up, and the packed schedule of an average Dota season has left Topson juggling responsibilities and practice. 

There could also be some other responsibilities Topson needs to take care of fueling this decision. The Constitution of Finland, Topson’s home country, has mandatory military service, meaning all citizens are obliged to enlist and participate in national defense. Previously, fellow Finn and TI winner Lasse “MATUMBAMAN” Urpalainen also had to go into service and retire from competition. 

Though esports players tend to come back after “retiring,” it really seems like Topson’s will be permanent. He will at least leave the scene with his name etched in Dota 2 history as one of the greatest players of all time.