Family over Dota: Topson explains why he joined Old G over a more serious team

"You don’t turn your back on family."
Photo via Valve

Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen decided to take some time off from competitive Dota 2 at the end of 2021 after winning back-to-back The Internationals. The break only lasted less than a year, however, as he made a return to the stage for TI11 with another team.

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Topson’s comeback with T1 was rather short-lived, and the midlaner returned to Europe. Most fans expected him to join forces with Team Liquid or Secret, but Topson chose to proceed with Ceb and n0tail as Old G.

As the team finalized their roster, Ceb asked fans to level their expectations as their primary goal was to have fun, and Topson also explained the reasoning behind his decision to join Old G in a recent stream.

“I thought about joining a more serious team,” Topson said. “But then I thought, do I want to travel nonstop and dedicate all my time to Dota?

Topson decided that the Old G approach to the 2023 DPC season allowed him to be on his own terms, as he would get to stream and be with his family at the same time. Joining a more serious team would require Topson’s full attention as bootcamps mean traveling and time apart from family members.

Having won two TIs, it’s understandable for Topson to prioritize his family over competitive Dota 2 goals. That being said, playing with n0tail and Ceb is likely to be more fun for Topson as they have been together since the second the midlaner burst into the competitive Dota 2 scene in 2018. 

Despite taking a more laid-back approach, Old G cruised through the first Open Qualifiers for the Western European Dota Pro Circuit and secured a spot for the division two Closed Qualifiers. They’re currently waiting for other Open Qualifiers to conclude to make a run for a division two seat.


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Gökhan Çakır
Gökhan is a Staff Writer and Fortnite Lead at Dot Esports. Gökhan graduated as an industrial engineer in 2020 and has since been with Dot Esports. As a natural-born gamer, he honed his skills to a professional level in Dota 2. Upon giving up on the Aegis of Champions in 2019, Gökhan started his writing career, covering all things gaming, while his heart remains a lifetime defender of the Ancients.