OG have used the Dota 2 off-season to hit the reset button. After a disappointing run at The International 2026, the two-time world champions have confirmed a rebuilt roster for the 2026-27 season, and the headline name is a familiar one: Finnish midlaner Topson is back after three years away.
A new lineup with old faces
The five-man unit now reads Natsumi in the carry role, Topson in the middle lane, SSS on the offlane, OneJey at soft support and skem as hard support and captain. Igor “kaffs” Estevão takes over as coach. Natsumi and skem are the only holdovers from the all-Filipino squad that went out in 14th-15th place at TI 2026, while Yopaj, Raven, Tims and coach 343 have all left the organization.
It is a roster with plenty of mixed experience. SSS lost his starting spot at PARIVISION earlier this year, and OneJey arrives with a Virtus.pro background. Topson, meanwhile, is the emotional centerpiece. He lifted the Aegis in both 2018 and 2019, spent time at T1 and Tundra, stepped away after Tundra’s third-place finish at TI 2024, and then returned this year as a stand-in for LGD Gaming at TI 2026, where the team ended up in the 9th-13th bracket.
First test: BLAST Slam VIII
The new OG lineup made its debut at BLAST Slam VIII, a 16-team event that ran from late September to October 11 with a $750,000 prize pool. The field included Team Spirit, the reigning TI champions, plus PARIVISION, Team Yandex, Team Liquid, Xtreme Gaming and LGD. For a freshly assembled team, that is a demanding first stop, and it will be interesting to see how quickly the chemistry around a returning veteran mid player develops over the coming months.
Fans of the Dota 2 scene will also be watching how the team handles drafting. A captain like skem and a coach like kaffs now have to blend a playmaking carry, a veteran core mid and two supports with very different recent competitive histories. Rebuilds like this often start slowly and then climb as roles settle, but there is no guarantee in a season packed with strong rosters.
Valve’s Halloween treasure
Away from the pro scene, Valve’s “Inside the Trove of Terror” update went live on October 7. Its centerpiece is the first Tidehunter Arcana, called Maw of the Megalodon, which turns the hero into a shark and adds new effects, animations, taunts and voice lines. It is also the first brand-new Arcana in more than two years. The Drow Ranger Arcana returns as a darker “Sepulchral Stalker” design, and players can still pick the original version instead.
The treasure comes with 15 Immortal sets and fresh Tormentor, Roshan and Baby Roshan cosmetics. Each chest costs roughly $5, the Tidehunter Arcana is an ultra rare drop, and a bad-luck protection system guarantees one of the two Arcanas by the 50th chest. The item cannot be traded or gifted, so anyone chasing it should set a budget first.
What it means for bettors
For anyone following Dota 2 markets, roster changes like OG’s matter because early-season form is hard to read. Odds on teams in transition can swing quickly after just a few series, which is why it pays to compare lines at several esports bookmakers before placing a wager. If you are new to betting, it is also worth checking the terms of any esports betting bonus before you claim it, and always bet responsibly and only with money you can afford to lose.
For now, OG’s rebuild is one of the more intriguing storylines of the new Dota 2 season. A championship pedigree on paper does not guarantee results, but Topson’s return alone ensures the team will have plenty of eyes on it.
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