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OG has brought back Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen to headline its new roster for the 2026-27 Dota 2 season, reuniting the organisation with the midlaner who helped it become a two-time The International champion .
John Anthony “Natsumi” Vargas and Andrei “skem” Ong stay on as carry and hard support respectively, giving OG continuity from last season’s Filipino-anchored lineup. Topson slots back in as midlaner, while Valery “SSS” Lazarev and Ivan “OneJey” Zhivitsky join for the position 3 and position 4 roles, replacing outgoing players Timothy “TIMS” Randrup and Polo “Raven” Fausto. Igor “kaffs” Estevão , who most recently worked with LGD and HEROIC, takes over as head coach. No financial or contract terms were disclosed alongside the announcement, as reported by esports.gg .
Topson remains one of Dota 2’s most recognisable players, having anchored OG’s back-to-back triumphs at The International in 2018 and 2019 and building a reputation for unconventional hero picks that have repeatedly found success at the top level. He later spent time with Tundra Esports, helping the side to a third-place finish, before a short-notice stint with LGD at TI15 that ended in a 9th-13th placement.
In the interim, he was largely occupied with streaming and occasional appearances for veteran-heavy sides Monkey Business and Retirement Home. The reunion caps a period of upheaval for OG, which cycled through several changes over the past year, including its signing of TorontoTokyo and a stretch of roster and coaching turbulence covered by Esports Insider earlier in the year.
OG’s rebuilt roster will make its competitive debut at BLAST SLAM VIII , which begins on September 29, 2026. The organisation received a direct invitation to the Tier 1 event, which runs across online and offline stages before playoffs at BLAST Arena Studios in Malta, giving Topson an immediate, high-profile stage for his return to top-flight Dota 2.