Complexity Gaming, often abbreviated as COL or called just “Complexity,” is one of the oldest North American esports organizations. In fact, Complexity celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2023.
Join us as we celebrate this legendary esports crew with an overview of Complexity’s rich history, most significant achievements, teams, and content creators, finishing off proceedings with some interesting FAQs.
Place your esports bets now on Complexity Gaming!
Table of Contents
Complexity’s History
Buckle up! We’re going down memory lane to discuss Complexity Gaming’s birth and growth throughout the past two decades.
Birth Of Complexity
Complexity’s origins date back to 1998 as a Counter-Strike 1.3 clan created by Jason Lake. However, it was officially founded as an esports organization five years later in 2003, when Lake reportedly paid two Counter-Strike players to join the squad. In 2004, he stepped into a coaching/admin role and allegedly spent more than $400,000 by 2007.
Lake then sold Complexity to DirecTV for $100,000 after their win at the DirecTV Championship Gaming Invitational. The organization competed in the Championship Gaming Series (CGS) as Los Angeles Complexity before the CGS ended abruptly in 2008.
The Growth of Complexity
Despite CGS’s demise, Complexity did not go down with it. The organization continued to compete in several divisions, including Call of Duty, Dota, and Counter-Strike. Complexity brought in talent for other esports disciplines such as Madden, FIFA, Heroes of the Storm, Heroes of Newerth, and Quake Live. For the latter, Complexity fielded one of the best first-person shooter (FPS) players of all time, Dutch legend Sander “Vo0” Kaasjager.
Complexity’s growth stemmed from excellent results. For example, in April 2013, the COD Black Ops 2 team won ESWC 2013. A year later, the organization sold its Call of Duty team to Evil Geniuses. Complexity’s willingness to adapt, quickly move in and out of esports titles, and navigate turbulent waters makes the organization both powerful and willing to change.
To quote Complexity: “We are the pioneers of next. We are the future they’re afraid of. We are the wave they can’t escape. We belong to a complex generation raised and nurtured by the Game.”
Complexity’s Modern Years
In November 2017, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, and real estate investor John Goff purchased a majority stake in Complexity. With immense support and infrastructure from the owners, Complexity relocated to Frisco, Texas. Lake kept his position as CEO and Complexity’s partnership list grew.
In 2019, the team’s headquarters opened as the GameStop Performance Center (now called Lenovo Legion Esports Center) at The Star in Frisco. Yes, that’s the Dallas Cowboys’ World Headquarters! Complexity was then acquired by a Canadian company, GameSquare Esports, in 2021, further collaborating with the previous owners and the Dallas Cowboys.
In 2024, Complexity sees its biggest partnerships continue, fielding teams in multiple esports titles. However, before we get to the teams, let’s look at Complexity’s most significant wins.
Complexity’s Greatest Accomplishments
Complexity Gaming’s teams and players across 30 esports disciplines have won more than 140 tournaments combined! Very few esports organizations can even come close to claiming such a feat. You’ll find just some of Complexity’s historic first-place finishes below.
- ESWC 2005 (CS)
- 2005 CPL World Tour UK (Quake Live)
- CPL Summer 2006 (CS)
- ESWC 2013 (COD)
- Call of Duty Championship 2014 (COD)
- ALGS Autumn Circuit Playoffs North America (Apex Legends)
- FIFAe Club World Cup 2020 (FIFA)
- FIFAe Club World Cup 2021 North America (FIFA)
- BLAST Premier Spring 2020 European Finals (CSGO)
You can find a complete list of Complexity’s notable achievements on their website.
Complexity’s CS2 Team
Counter-Strike runs in the organization’s blood as Complexity’s oldest division, with historic wins at ESWC 2005 and CPL Summer 2006. One of Complexity’s biggest wins was at the BLAST Premier Spring 2020 European Finals with a 2-1 against Team Vitality. However, in Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Complexity has yet to add gold to its trophy cabinet.
The addition of star rifler Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski and continued leadership of South African IGL Johnny “JT” Theodosiou saw Complexity’s CS2 squad score some great results at the end of 2023. They earned a 2nd-place finish at IEM Sydney 2023 and a 3rd/4th-place finish at BLAST Premier Fall Final 2023, losing 2-1 to FaZe Clan in both events.
- Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski
- Ricky “floppy” Kemery
- Michael “Grim” Wince
- Håkon “hallzerk” Fjærli
- Johnny “JT” Theodosiou (IGL)
- Tiaan “T.c” Coertzen (Coach)
Place your CS2 bets!
Complexity’s Rocket League Team
On Jan. 26, 2024, Complexity announced a new Rocket League roster with the addition of Ivan “DORITO” Ruiz Jiménez and their move to the South American scene. It didn’t take the roster long to make their mark on the South American Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS), winning the Major 1 SA Open Qualifier 1 by beating FURIA Esports 4-0.
- Victor “Reysbull” Duran Parra
- Cristian “crr” Fernandez
- Ivan “DORITO” Ruiz Jiménez
- Lucas “Agüesome” Rodriguez (Coach)
Place your Rocket League bets!
Complexity’s Halo Team
Complexity announced their Halo roster for 2024 on Jan. 25, and fans are excited. The organization has yet to make many notable deep runs, with its best performance as a 9th to 12th place finish at the Halo World Championship 2023.
- Ryan “RyaNoob” Geddes
- Brant “Huss” Hussey
Place your Halo bets!
Complexity’s Madden Player
Drini “Drini” Gjoka is Complexity’s Madden NFL player from the United States. He is among the best Madden NFL players in the world, with wins at Madden 19 Bowl, MCS21 Madden Classic, and MCS21 Madden Challenge. Drini also placed 5th to 8th at MCS24 Ultimate Bowl, showing impeccable form.
Place your Madden bets!
Complexity’s VALORANT Team
You may be wondering if Complexity has a VALORANT team. At the time of writing (late February 2024), the organization does not field a team in this esport. In July 2022, the organization took a step back after rejecting its VALORANT Partnership Program application and continued with its female team in the Game Changers league. In the announcement, Complexity noted:
“Thankfully, this goodbye is not necessarily permanent. This organization still has the utmost respect for VALORANT as a title, and we are excited to watch the esports community continue to grow. Our hope is that in the future, more opportunities will be opened to showcase the incredible depth of the North American talent pool in the highest level of competition.”
Unfortunately, in January 2024, the organization released its female VALORANT team, Complexity GX3. The move does not mean it will exit the scene entirely, but we will have to wait and see if Complexity returns to VALORANT.
Place your Valorant bets!
Complexity’s Content Creators
Complexity also features an army of content creators alongside its top-tier esports teams. From Twitch and YouTube to Instagram and TikTok, the creators deliver tons of excellent content each week.
- Bowen “Monsoon” Fuller
- Trenton “lou” Clements
- Justin “HuNteR Jjx” Roebuck-Joseph
- Maddy “Maddynf”
- James “KIMCHILEE” Lee
- Alan “AlanAvi” Avila
- Monte “Dreads” Doebel-Hickok
- Christoffer “Asmodai” Stub
- Amy “Amazonian” D
- Jan “SuperJJ” Janssen
- AIMS
- AA9SKILLZ
- Ninjayla
- Electra
Some content creators are also players, such as Bowen “Monsoon” Fuller and Trenton “lou” Clements from the Apex Legends team. Visit Complexity Gaming’s Content Creator page.
Complexity’s Socials
With its strong content creator team, Complexity has a vast online presence. We’ve got you covered with the organization’s leading social media channels.
You can also purchase some branded merchandise from the online Complexity shop!
FAQs
Want even more Complexity info? We’ve got you covered in these frequently asked questions!
Who Owns Complexity?
In June 2021, GameSquare Esports Inc. purchased Complexity. In 2024, GameSquare is said to have sold Complexity back to its former owner Jason Lake. However, as of date of writing (Aug 2024), the Complexity website shows part-ownership between Jason Lake and “Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and investor John Goff.”
How Does Complexity Make Money?
Like most top esports organizations, Complexity Gaming generates revenue through brand/sponsorship deals with partners, advertisement, event winnings, content creation, product endorsements, and merchandise sales.
Can I Join Complexity?
Complexity isn’t an esports organization you can join and become a player. The organization will scout you if you are one of the best players in the world in specific esports titles. You can also visit their headquarters, the Lenovo Legion Esports Center in Frisco, Texas!
Who Created Complexity?
The founder and current CEO of Complexity is Jason Lake. He officially created Complexity in 2003, but its roots and first appearance as a CS 1.3 team date back to 1998.
Can You Bet on Complexity With Crypto?
Absolutely, yes! At Thunderpick, we focus on the cryptocurrency betting experience. When Complexity Gaming’s teams play matches, you can bet on them with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.
