OG Esports Release Yopaj, Raven, and TIMS After Early Exit at The International 2026

OG Esports announced on September 9, 2026, that the organisation has parted ways with three members of its Dota 2 roster — midlaner Erin Jasper “Yopaj” Ferrer, offlaner Marc Polo Luis “Raven” Fausto, and support player Timothy “TIMS” Randrup — following a disappointing 14th–15th place finish at The International 2026 in August. The departures leave carry player John Anthony “Natsumi” Vargas and hard support Rolen Andre Gabriel “Skem” Ong as the only remaining active players on the squad, with the two-time TI-winning organisation now searching for replacements ahead of the 2026–2027 competitive season.

Three Players Out as OG Begins Roster Overhaul

OG’s announcement, published across the organisation’s social media channels on September 9, confirmed the release of all three players and thanked them for their contributions, wishing them well “for the season ahead,” according to GosuGamers. The move was widely expected after OG’s early elimination from The International 2026, the most prestigious annual Dota 2 tournament, which took place in August 2026.

Yopaj and TIMS had been founding members of OG’s Southeast Asian chapter, which was first announced on November 8, 2025, alongside Natsumi, Nikko, and Skem, as reported by Timesaver. Raven joined the lineup at a later stage. All three departing players are now listed as free agents on multiple roster-tracking platforms as of September 9.

OG’s TI 2026 Performance: A 1–4 Swiss Stage Exit

The roster changes stem directly from OG’s underwhelming run at The International 2026. The all-Filipino lineup of Natsumi, Yopaj, Raven, TIMS, and Skem was eliminated during the Swiss stage on August 15, 2026, after a 0–2 loss to North America’s GamerLegion. OG finished the tournament with a 1–4 series record, placing 14th–15th — a painful result for an organisation that has won TI twice in its history.

“OG suffers early elimination at TI 2026,” ABS-CBN’s esports desk wrote at the time of the exit, noting that the squad had managed only a single series win — a 2–1 victory over Huligani — before being knocked out by GamerLegion.

Who Stays: Natsumi and Skem Remain

OG is now rebuilding around Natsumi and Skem. GosuGamers’ post-TI 2026 roster shuffle tracker describes the pair as the foundation for OG’s next competitive roster. The organisation has not yet announced any incoming signings, leaving three positions — mid, offlane, and position four support — to be filled before the next competitive window opens.

Unverified rumours on community forums have linked former OG star Topson to a potential return, but no credible reporting source has confirmed such a move. At this stage, it remains speculation, and OG has not commented on any prospective signings.

The Broader Post-TI 2026 Roster Shuffle

OG’s roster moves are part of a wider wave of changes sweeping through professional Dota 2 in the weeks following The International 2026. The annual post-TI shuffle period is historically the most active transfer window in competitive Dota 2, and the 2026 edition is proving no different.

Virtus.pro disbanded its entire Dota 2 roster in late August after their TI 2026 campaign ended, releasing carry player Enzo “Timado” Gianoli, midlaner Abed “Abed” Yusop, offlaner Jonáš “SabeRLight-” Volek, soft support Kiryl “Hellscream” Lagutik, captain Tal “Fly” Aizik, and coach Kanishka “BuLba” Sosale, according to rdy.gg’s confirmed shuffle log.

Team Falcons are also reportedly reshaping their squad. According to insider Pavuk_Lair, the team is parting ways with carry player Oliver “Skiter” Lepko and veteran support Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen, with coach Curtis “Aui_2000” Lin also expected to depart. Transfer buyout structures and free agency rules continue to shape how quickly these players can find new homes.

Key Post-TI 2026 Dota 2 Roster Moves

What This Means for Southeast Asian Dota 2

The release of Yopaj, Raven, and TIMS puts three experienced Filipino and Filipino-Danish players back into the free agent pool at a time when Southeast Asian Dota 2 organisations are actively recruiting. All three have deep competitive experience: Raven has been a fixture in SEA Dota 2 for nearly a decade, while Yopaj is widely regarded as one of the region’s most talented midlaners.

For Singapore‘s esports scene, the shuffle has implications for the broader Asia-Pacific competitive calendar. With the 2026 Asian Games esports competition set to begin on September 23 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, featuring 11 medal events, the timing of these roster changes means some players may be weighing national team commitments alongside club transfers.

What Comes Next for OG

OG has not disclosed a timeline for completing its rebuilt roster. The organisation’s track record suggests it will move quickly — OG has historically been willing to make bold signings during shuffle periods, and the retention of Natsumi and Skem signals that the next iteration of the squad will likely retain its Southeast Asian identity.

The Esports World Cup and other major events in the 2026–2027 calendar will test whether OG’s rebuilt roster can improve on the 14th–15th place finish that prompted this overhaul. For now, the Dota 2 community is watching closely as one of the scene’s most storied organisations enters its next chapter.

Sources

• according to GosuGamers — gosugamers.net
• as reported by Timesaver — timesaver.gg
• according to rdy.gg’s confirmed shuffle log — rdy.gg
• Dota 2 post-The International 2026 roster shuffle tracker | GosuGamers — gosugamers.net
• OG return to all-Filipino lineup with signing of Raven | GosuGamers — gosugamers.net