Topson Considers Continuing Career After The International 2026: "Need to Claim Another Aegis"

Topson Considers Continuing Career After The International 2026: "Need to Claim Another Aegis"

Topias " Topson " Taavitsainen is considering another season on the professional scene after playing for LGD Gaming at The International 2026. The two-time TI champion noted that he doesn't want to end his career after finishing in 12th place, but he will only return to full-time competition if he receives a suitable offer. He also stated that he would like to win a third Aegis.

On the Possibility of Continuing His Career

After returning to The International, Topson admitted that he felt the urge to compete again. However, he is not ready to give up the stable life of a streamer for just any offer and plans to choose his next step carefully.

I wouldn't want to end my career in 12th place. It's an unpleasant feeling. I'm definitely thinking about doing another season and then seeing how things go. We'll see if any good team wants me at all. The offer has to be very good for me to consider playing because, as a streamer, I have a very stable life.

When asked if a third victory at The International could be the perfect end to his career, Topson replied briefly:

Yes, I need to win another one.

On the Unexpected Invitation to LGD Gaming

Topson had not planned to play at TI 2026 and initially intended only to stream the championship and host a watch party. He received the offer from LGD Gaming on Saturday shortly before the matches began, after which he faced the issue of an expiring passport. The document was replaced in time, and he arrived in Shanghai about 16 hours before the team's first series.

I didn't expect to play at all. I thought I would just stream the matches and do a watch party. Then I got a message that they needed a stand-in. It turned out my passport was expiring, so I had to urgently get a new one. I ended up arriving here about 16 hours before our match.

Despite the lack of preparation with the team, Topson noted that he found it relatively easy to integrate into LGD's play. According to him, the team adhered to a fairly standard approach to modern Dota 2, and a few initial matches helped the players get used to each other. He believes the team had a real chance to make it to the top 8 and go even further.

On Unconventional Heroes and Modern Dota 2

At TI 2026, Topson once again used unconventional mid-lane heroes, including Dragon Knight and Gyrocopter. He explained that ideas for such picks often arise after matchmaking: the player notices someone else's approach, analyzes mistakes, and tries to adapt the hero to his own understanding of the game.

I don't really care what others consider the best. If I have experience playing a hero, it doesn't matter to me. I'll just play them if I think they're good.

Among the heroes he didn't get to showcase at the tournament, Topson highlighted Pugna. According to him, he used the character a lot in pubs, but the right situation for a pick at TI never arose.

At the same time, he described the current state of Dota 2 as quite slow and largely similar to the game in 2024. He believes that while the set of strong heroes has changed over time, the overall strategy and pace have remained similar.

It feels like I'm playing on the same patch, just with different heroes being stronger. The gameplay, strategy, and everything else are almost the same. In this sense, it's a bit boring. I'd just say: make the map smaller again and bring back one courier.

On the Strongest Mid Players and TI 2026 Favorites

Among the mid players of the tournament, Topson placed No[o]ne in first place and also rated Nisha highly. He ultimately named Lorenof as the third. The two-time TI champion jokingly refused to include Malr1ne in his top 3 after a personal victory over him.

No[o]ne should be first, that's for sure. It's a pity I couldn't play against No[o]ne and Nisha , but I'd put them in the top 2. [...] Let Lorenof be third.

In his prediction for the decisive stage of The International 2026, Topson chose PARIVISION and Team Liquid as the grand final participants. He mentioned that he particularly enjoys watching Liquid play.

LGD Gaming finished their run at The International 2026 in a tiebreaker match for the playoffs. After the tournament, Topson has not yet confirmed a permanent return to the professional scene but has suggested that he might play another season with the right offer.