OG Reunites with Two-Time TI Champion Topson for New Season
OG has announced a rebuilt Dota 2 roster for the 2026-27 season, headlined by the return of midlaner Topias "Topson" Taavitsainen, who previously led the team to back-to-back The International titles. The lineup retains carry John Anthony "Natsumi" Vargas and hard support Andrei "skem" Ong, while adding Valery "SSS" Lazarev, Ivan "OneJey" Zhivitsky, and coach Igor "kaffs" Estevão. The new squad is set to debut at BLAST SLAM VIII on September 29.
The rebuilt lineup keeps Natsumi and skem from last season's Filipino-anchored core, while SSS and OneJey step into the offlane and soft support roles vacated by TIMS and Raven. Coach kaffs joins after stints with LGD and HEROIC, though no contract or financial details were released.
Topson's return follows a winding post-OG path: a third-place finish with Tundra, a short-notice LGD appearance at TI15 that ended 9th-13th, and a stretch of streaming plus appearances for veteran-heavy squads like Monkey Business and Retirement Home. OG received a direct invite to BLAST SLAM VIII, beginning September 29, with playoffs in Malta.
Topson's return could re-energize OG's fanbase and draw renewed attention to the competitive Dota 2 scene, potentially boosting viewership for BLAST SLAM VIII. It may also signal that veteran champions remain viable in an increasingly young player pool, influencing how other organizations approach roster building. For fans, the reunion offers nostalgia and a compelling narrative arc, which could strengthen engagement with the team's matches and the broader esports ecosystem around the game.