Former Complexity owner and CEO Jason Lake announced that the organization has shut down after deciding to gradually cease operations by the end of 2025.
"We looked at the overall environment, the position of the business, and the prospects for raising funds to repay the seller-held notes, and then decided that the best approach was to close it in an orderly and professional manner, rather than crash and burn, as we sometimes see in other organizations," Lake said in a video on X.
"So for the first time in 23 years, my core team of colleagues and I are no longer part of Complexity. This... feels strange to say, but this is our situation now, and I want to formalize it, bring closure to this matter, and put a full stop to it."
Complexity is one of the most legendary organizations in CS history, first acquiring a roster in 2004 and fielding CS teams in 21 of the following 22 years. During this journey, the organization has won several notable trophies, including the 2005 ESWC, 2006 CPL Summer, and 2024 ESL Challenger Jonkoping, and has participated in 10 official Majors—finishing 3-4th at DreamHack Winter 2013, and 5-8th at EMS One Katowice 2014 and FACEIT Major 2018.
In 2017, Complexity's majority stake was sold to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and real estate investor John Goff, and was later acquired by GameSquare in 2021. In 2024, Lake led an investment group to repurchase the brand, but the following year, a "challenging" esports economic environment left the organization unable to adequately support its CS roster, leading to its withdrawal from the project in August 2025.
Lake expressed gratitude to all who have been involved with the organization over the years and revealed that the ownership of Complexity IP has been transferred back to GameSquare "because when [he] bought it back, they had a seller's note."
Although the brand IP still exists, fans and the industry generally regard Lake as the soul of the organization, and his departure marks the end of an era.
"As for me... I haven't retired," Lake added. "This year, I took a necessary long break to rest, spend quality time with my family. After years of high-pressure work, this was exactly what I needed. I'm incredibly excited about building something new, and I can say I'm looking to the horizon to find where I can make a meaningful contribution."
"Clearly, I would hope that it’s within the esports sector. I don’t know, given the current situation, whether there will be opportunities for me there, but you know, I have absolutely not retired. I love building, I love leading."
"I believe that's all we can say. A heartfelt thank you to everyone, and... you could say this is coL's exit from Complexity after 23 years."