According to the Valve Dota 2 registration site for the upcoming Fall Major, Clinton "Fear" Loomis and Ludwig "zai" Wåhlberg have been released from North American team Evil Geniuses. Fear, 28, has been playing for EG since late 2011 with only interruption for injury. Zai, 19, has played on and off for EG over the past three years, leaving the team for stints at Team Secret and Kaipi. Fear participated in the team's first place title at 2015's The International 5 as well as its third place finish at The International 6 earlier this month, while zai was only part of the latter after rejoining EG in June.
Fear's Dota career dates back to 2005 in the DotA: Allstars days, when his was one of the first teams to be signed by a professional gaming organization. His longevity and well-respected standing in Dota 2 are largely attributable to his versatility both in-game and out; he has played both support and carry for the EG squad in addition to player, captain and coach. His twitter hints that he may be retiring from professional Dota entirely.
Legacy
— Clinton Loomis (@FearDotA) August 27, 2016
Zai, although young, had his breakthrough in 2014 playing alongside the likes of Peter "ppd" Dager and Fear on the S A D B O Y S team which was picked up by Evil Geniuses. He played support for EG.
The details of Fear and zai's departure are as yet unknown. The renown of these players ensures that many will be curious to see where they go next and if they will continue in Dota 2.
The team replied to a request for comment with the following: "Evil Geniuses will be releasing a statement about the Dota roster in the coming weeks. Thank you to all of our fans for your unwavering support over the years."
The news comes ahead of the first official roster lock deadline for the upcoming major on September 4.