Topson: “Having your own opinion is what separates the best players from the good ones.”
OG midlaner Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen spoke in an interview on the Dejet YouTube channel about his desire to win with his new teammates, the laziness of professional players, and how his two TI titles helped him cope with the pressure. He also reflected on what sets the best players apart from the good ones.
On the laziness of professional players and the search for new heroes
I don’t think there’s too little room for experimentation in professional Dota anymore. If you look at this year, many heroes that people later started picking or banning first were completely ignored before that—until someone made them popular. I think there could be many more heroes like that.
Especially after the new patch: it takes people quite a while to figure everything out. Even now, new strategies are emerging. It seems to me that pros are pretty lazy in this regard. But if something’s already working, you naturally don’t really want to change it—you want to improve your macro play. So spending so much time looking for something new doesn’t always seem worth it.
On how the old OG roster let him play however he wanted
Back then, my perspective on the game was more immature. I’d pick whatever I wanted to play in pubs, or whatever seemed strong to me personally at that moment against the opponent’s heroes. I hardly thought about the big picture: what our lineups looked like and how we were going to play. Essentially, my teammates created an environment where I could do whatever I wanted. Now the difference is that I think more about the team’s needs.
On what sets the best players apart from the good ones
I think it’s precisely having their own opinion that sets the best players apart from the good ones. The best are constantly coming up with something new, finding new ways to influence the game. Good players, on the other hand, look at that and say, “Okay, I’ll do the same.” As a result, they’re always one step behind the best.
On the desire to prove he can win without the original OG
It would be great to win a tournament with players other than the original OG roster. I don’t really care what people think. I’d rather prove to myself that I can win with other players, too—that I’m one of the best.
So far, my main successes have been with the old OG. Although I also performed pretty well with Tundra and was happy with that: we took third place at TI. For me, that was already proof enough. But I’d still like to be part of one of the best teams again.
On how his two victories at The International have relieved him of pressure
Personally, I see this as an advantage. A significant portion of the expectations and pressure has been lifted from me because, in a sense, I’ve already achieved what I wanted. Now it’s more important to enjoy the competition and continue to do everything in my power. Of course, I want to win, but if that doesn’t happen, I won’t be too upset.
Earlier, Topson explained why he decided to choose OG specifically to continue his career: “It’s a safe and pleasant environment for me. The same people are still here.”
Photo: Valve.
