EliGE's first game for Complexity: is he enough to take them to the next level?

In one of the biggest moves of the off-season, Complexity managed to get one over on regional rivals Evil Geniuses in order to secure the signature of their regions greatest ever player, EliGE.

An Intel Grand Slam winner, EliGE adds a pedigree to the Complexity roster that they could previously have only dreamed about. Providing much needed elite level experience, EliGE will now look to fast track his new team to the top, so what clues did his first game give us as to the chances of success?

The deciding factor

A 2-1 victory over NIP, EliGE shone with 72 kills across the three maps, including a decisive 28-18 performance in the deciding map of Overpass. Let’s start with that.

On CT side, despite Complexity’s initial struggle to get a footing in the map, EliGE managed to look strong from the get go. Slotting straight into FaNg’s role as the A Rifler, it’s already clear that EliGE has chemistry with his site partner, the team’s AWPer, hallzerk.

The standout round, round 8, showed the initiative EliGE can bring to the team that the man he is replacing may not have done. Arming himself with a rare hero M4, he used hallzerk as a ladder throughout the round, moving around the A side of the map to boost at the perfect moment, claiming the lives of both REZ in B short and Brollan on A long. Expertly repositioning, it gave the rest of the team the perfect chance to steal what should have been an easy round for NIP from the Swedish squads’ hands.

That chemistry was on display all throughout the half, with EliGE often being flashed into fights by his Norwegian teammate. It was easy to spot on the T side too, as the pair often moved around the map together to cause havoc for NIP’s ailing defence.

That wasn’t the only positive on T side, EliGE’s individual play also showed what he can bring to the team. A firepower upgrade on FaNg, he was a constant thorn in NIP’s side, singling out opponents in the Toilets position to send them to an early grave. Even on rounds when the rest of his team could be found near the B site, EliGE was persistent on A, ensuring that NIP never felt secure in their rotations.

Photo: Michal Konkol

The star of the show

Nuke, the series’ second map, may have been NIP’s map pick, but that was a decision they soon came to regret.

A map that EliGE has little experience on compared to others in the pool, it was only at the beginning of 2023 that his former Liquid team would make the decision to add it to their map pool. A decision that hadn’t yet been fortuitous.

While it hadn’t been the greatest of additions to Liquid map pool, it had long been a feature of Complexity’s, and given that EliGE would be stepping into FaNg’s old role as the Outside player, EliGE would quickly become one of the most important elements of his new team’s defence.

Despite it being a different role to that which he played on Liquid, where he was the Main player, EliGE has seemingly adapted to his new role with ease. A role that requires an active and aggressive player, it is almost tailor made for EliGE, and he made his presence known in his debut.

A half that ended with a 16-11 individual scoreline and with a 1v1 clutch to ensure Complexity had the advantage at the break, EliGE showed great potential to strengthen his new team on the map.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

The return of the king

The best player in NA history, in his last few months on Liquid, it appeared that EliGE had lost some of the magic that once made him great. Granted, he had given up some of his former roles to make room for the arrival of YEKINDAR, but even in the roles he did not, he failed to perform to the same level as he did in years prior.

While it may have only been one game, the EliGE we saw versus NIP was one that has scarcely been seen since he joined forces with YEKINDAR, and it is a performance that should give NA fans hope that Complexity can fill the hole left by Liquid.

He still may not be the player he once was, but even if he is half as good as he was against NIP, it will be enough to push Complexity to the next level, and that is the most important thing.