CompLexity Gaming bows out of Overwatch ahead of Overwatch League

CompLexity Gaming is the third esports organization to exit competitive Overwatch this week. TSM and Red Reserve have announced their exit from the Overwatch scene over the past few days, both citing uncertainty over the game’s competitive future. Likewise, compLexity has been facing problems in Overwatch’s “current transitional phase,” left with “limited exposure opportunities,” according to the press release. Jake “TorkTJO” Lepoff, Nicolas “NicolasTJO” Aubin, Joe “Joemeister” Gramano, and Mihail “Meza” Păunescu will enter free agency, with Jackson “Shake” Kaplan remaining part of compLexity until a new organization transfer is completed. “Anticipation of Blizzard’s upcoming Overwatch League and an uptick in mainstream esports attention means that now more than ever, we have to be confident we’re making the best investments in each game,” compLexity general manager Kyle Bautista said in a statement. “The decision to part ways with long-term members of our organization is never one that we take lightly, but ongoing roster instability has resulted in inconsistent performances in an already narrow field of events.” CompLexity’s Overwatch roster competed in a number of online and LAN events since Overwatch’s inception, but failed to reach a championship position at a large event. TorkTJO, NicolasTJO, Shake, and Joemeister have all been with compLexity’s Overwatch team since its creation in May 2016. Meza was added in early April, filling the space left by tank Anthony “harbleu” Ballo, who left compLexity for NRG Esports. The North American esports organization intends to return to Overwatch in the future, but it must first “assess the best way in which to tackle the fluid ecosystem,” according to the press release. Much of that assessment likely includes gathering information about Blizzard’s upcoming Overwatch League. A new report suggests that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross have both purchased slots in the Overwatch League in multi-million dollar deals. With such a steep price for entry, many traditional esports organizations believe they may be left behind. During Activision Blizzard’s latest earnings call, Blizzard reported that more information about the league will come before the end of the year.