Kyle Freedman removed from compLexity’s Dota 2 roster
Kyle Freedman, also known as “swindlemelonzz,” has been removed from compLexity’s Dota 2 roster due to personality conflicts, according to team manager Kyle “Beef” Bautista.
The organization announced Freedman’s release through a post on their official website. Bautista expressed the difficulty of the decision, stating, “This was probably the hardest thing I’ve done in my esports career.”
A successful start in Heroes of Newerth
Freedman joined compLexity in August 2014, along with his Heroes of Newerth team, stayGreen. He achieved great success in HoN, winning five consecutive major LAN events. He is considered one of the best HoN players of all time, alongside notable Dota 2 players such as Johan “n0tail” Sundstein, Tal “Fly” Aizik, and Adrian “Era” Kryeziu.
Challenges in Dota 2
However, Freedman and the rest of the team struggled to replicate their success in Dota 2 after transitioning from HoN. They have only qualified for one International tournament so far and have yet to win a premier event.
Dedication and sacrifice
Bautista praised Freedman for his dedication during the team’s most challenging moments. In 2015, Freedman paid the security deposit for their team house in Florida out of his own pocket when compLexity deemed it too expensive and risky. He also played without a salary the following year after being informed that the team would be dropped due to a lack of sponsors, ensuring the roster stayed with compLexity.
Freedman now seeks a new team in the North American Dota 2 scene instead of retiring or transitioning to a coaching role. It is likely that several teams will be interested in signing him.
Keywords: Kyle Freedman, swindlemelonzz, compLexity, Dota 2, roster, personality conflicts, Heroes of Newerth, HoN, professional esports, North American Dota 2 scene
