Former Complexity owner and CEO Jason Lake announced that the organization has shut down after making the decision to wind down operations at the end of 2025.
“We surveyed the landscape, surveyed where the business was at, and prospects for raising capital to pay off the seller-held note, and decided the best thing to do was to shut it down in an orderly and professional way, rather than crashing it into the sun as sometimes we see with other organizations,” Lake said in a video on X.
“So for the first time in 23 years, myself and my core team of coworkers are no longer a part of Complexity. Which… feels weird to say, but that is where we’re at, and I wanted to kind of make it official and wrap this thing up and tie it in a bow.”
Complexity was one of the most storied organizations in Counter-Strike, first acquiring a roster in 2004 and housing a CS team for all but one of the next 22 years. During that run, the organization brought home several noteworthy trophies, including at ESWC 2005, CPL Summer 2006, and ESL Challenger Jonkoping 2024, as well as attended 10 official Majors — reaching 3-4th at DreamHack Winter 2013, and 5-8th at EMS One Katowice 2014 and FACEIT Major 2018.
A majority stake in Complexity was sold to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and real estate investor John Goff in 2017 before it was acquired by GameSquare in 2021. Lake, leading an investor group, later re-acquired the brand in 2024, but a “challenging” esports economy the following year made the organization unable to properly support a CS team, and it exited the game in August 2025.
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Complexity exit Counter-Strike: “It’s been an incredibly difficult time economically”
Lake offered his thanks to everyone who was a part of the organization over the years, and revealed that ownership of the Complexity IP had transferred back to GameSquare “because they had a seller-held note when [he] bought it back.”
While the brand IP remains in existence, Lake was widely regarded by fans and the industry alike as the heart and soul of the organization, and his departure marks the end of an era.
“In terms of myself… I’m not done,” Lake added. “No way. I took a much-needed sabbatical this year, got some rest, and spent a lot of time with my family. It’s something I really needed after years of running at a high stress load. I am extremely excited to build something new, and I am scanning the horizon, you could say, and looking where I can contribute in a meaningful way.
“Obviously, I hope that is in esports. I don’t know, in the current state of things, if there will be an opportunity for me there, but just know that I am most certainly not retiring. I love to build, and I love to lead.
“[…] I guess that’s all we’ve got. From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much, and… I guess you could say this is coL 1 signing out of Complexity, after 23 years.”
