Lemondogs plunges into Dota by recruiting unproven side 4 Friends + Chrillee

Europe’s class clowns are finally getting their big shot from a newcomer to the Dota scene.

Lemondogs, the Swedish esports house that made its mark in Counter-Strike 1.6 and League of Legends, announced the signing of long-time amateur squad 4 Friends + Chrillee yesterday morning. 4 Friends + Chrillee made its name with a half-serious approach to Dota that has since yielded middling success against more serious sides.

The new squad is a mix of former 4 Friends + Chrillee members interspersed with newly recruited talent. The eponymous Christopher “Chrillee” Wåhlin joins Tobias “Eresloco” Everhorn and Staffan “Steffstyle” Solin as former members of the squad, while new additions Matthis “Jabbz” Friesel and Eskil “Eskillz” Sundblad fill the carry roles.

The acquisition is a curious move for an esports organization. While many prefer to negotiate with squads as their talents and résumé develop, taking the plunge after a major tournament win or series of victories, Lemondogs’ move is largely speculative in nature. A quick look at 4 Friends + Chrillee’s record over the past two years provides little confidence that the team is a sure-fire winner.

However, the move to develop existing talent instead of just investing in proven winners should be viewed as encouraging by Dota 2 fans. With more organizations entering the game on the ground level, prospects for future growth are surely improved.