Topson Reveals No Plans to Play in The International 2023 Qualifiers
Summer 2023 saw several major Dota 2 tournaments, and now it’s nearly time for The International 2023 qualifiers. While many top teams have secured their spots in the tournament, iconic player Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen has announced that he won’t be participating in the qualifiers.
The revelation came during a ranked match on Aug. 10, where Topson was playing alongside Roman “RAMZES666” Kushnarev. RAMZES wished Topson luck in the TI qualifiers, and the two-time champion replied, “no quals for me.”
Related: Location, Dates, Tickets, and More for Dota 2’s The International 2023
Fans of Dota 2 had already speculated that Old G, which includes Topson, would withdraw from the TI qualifiers after team members like Sébastien “Ceb” Debs hinted at disbanding following a disappointing DPC season.
One potential problem for Old G is that Ceb is also a part owner of OG and Valve has a strict rule against entities that own multiple teams. Even if they make it through the qualifiers, it could cause complications.
Although Topson took a break for most of 2022, he returned last year to play in the qualifiers with T1 and came close to making it to TI11. By completely skipping the qualifiers this season, he may have turned down potential offers or is yet to receive any due to his current living arrangements.
Europe is currently one of the most competitive regions, and most rosters stabilize towards the end of the season. It’s possible that Topson considered traveling outside of Europe to play in the qualifiers, especially since he had an active season in 2023.
However, fans also have another theory. Recently, Tundra Esports mid lane player Leon “Nine” Kirilin has been seen practicing the position four role in ranked matches, fueling speculation that Martin “Saksa” Sazdov is taking a break. This leaves the mid lane open in Tundra, which could potentially attract Topson or Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi, two of the most iconic mid laners in Dota 2 history.
This suggests that Topson’s “no quals for me” comment might be a cheeky hint. If he were to join Tundra, he could secure a direct invite to TI12, unless Valve interferes with the roster change.
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