Dota 2 icon Johan ‘n0tail’ Sundstein has benched himself from this year’s OG roster, but he doesn’t rule out a return to competitive play.
If there’s one name every Dota 2 fan (or even avid esports fan) knows, it’s n0tail. The OG legend has stamped his name into the history books with back-to-back The International (TI) victories and four Major wins, marking himself as the most decorated player in the game’s esports history. He also holds the record for the most prize money won at over $7.1 million, according to Esports Earnings.
Coming into 2022 off of the back of a disappointing TI10, where the squad placed seventh, n0tail has traded in competitive play for a supportive role, ultimately benching himself in order to mentor OG’s 2022 team.
However, the bench may not be his home forever as the Danish icon has refused to rule out a return to action.
n0tail discusses decision to bench himself
Chatting to Dexerto about the team’s future, he noted that while he’s “super excited” to spend a year out of professional play and that “every day is a blessing,” he doesn’t rule out the possibility of a return to The Map.
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“I have my two puppies, I have so many other things going on that I’m very excited to take this year off,” he said. “They’re going to be more mature after a year and, depending on what things look like, I could always return to do whatever I want to do; whether it’s playing, coaching, or managing.”
Confessing that “I’ve wanted to do this [take a year out] for a while,” he concluded that it is “playing out better that I hoped.”
And yes, we did ask what type of puppies he has. “They’re mix,” he laughs. “The labrador shines through a bit, you can definitely see the lab in them, but they’re very mixed so it’s kind of hard to tell what all of it is.”
So while nothing is set in stone, we may see the return of Dota’s king coming into 2023. Until then, though, he’s happy chilling with his furry friends in sunny Portugal (for a glimpse at OG’s bootcamp mansion be sure to check out n0tail’s Red Bull Unfold episode), compiling strats to help OG snatch the crown at TI 2021.
