UK-based esports organisation Tundra Esports have today announced the arrival of Topias ‘Topson’ Miikka Taavitsainen to their Dota 2 roster.
In a press release, Tundra said that Finnish player Topson ‘is one of the most celebrated names in the world of esports and is widely recognised for his formidable and exceptional skills in Dota 2, having already earned a dedicated fan base and numerous accolades in his career’.
He is a back-to-back The International (TI) winner, having won in both 2018 and 2019, making him one of the most successful players in esports history.
Topson and Tundra commented about the move on their X (formerly known as Twitter) page here:
This development marks a significant chapter for Tundra Esports, as well as for Topson’s career, the org said.
Following Tundra Esports’ success at TI 2022, where they won and lifted the Aegis of Champions, they’ll be going into TI 2023 looking to defend their title.
The team said that ‘with the addition of Topson, boasting both skill and experience, the team are excited to fight for back-to-back TI titles’.
Topson joins Tundra after Saksa steps back for health reasons
The news comes a day after it was announced that North Macedonian Dota 2 player Martin ‘Saksa’ Sazdov would be taking an extended break due to health reasons.
He will no longer be on Tundra Esports’ active roster.
Tundra said in a statement: “We wish him all the healing and success possible. Thank you, Martin, for playing a pivotal role in our TI victory. You’ll forever be a part of our legacy and the tribe.”
Tundra are one of 20 teams taking part in TI 2023, which gets underway on October 12th 2023 in Seattle.
Their active Dota 2 roster includes skiter, Nine, 33, Sneyking and now Topson.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
