Alliance carry Loda to take hiatus from competitive Dota

A Dota 2 legend is finally taking a step out of the scene for the first time in years. Jonathan “Loda” Berg, the famous carry of Swedish squad Alliance, has announced via a press release on the team website that he will be stepping down from the team, until after The International at the earliest.

You who are my fans, who have followed me for over a decade, know that I focus a lot on feeling, it is my strength and weakness,” he said in the press release. “It has helped me reach some of my highest highs and, lowest lows: it has defined my career. At this point it does not feel right for me to continue, and I think some of you have noticed that. I need a break.

Berg has been playing the game for over a decade since its Warcraft 3 days, where he played in a number of teams and with a myriad of pros. Most notably, in late 2012, he formed a squad called No Tidehunter, which proved to be extremely powerful. It became Alliance in early 2013, an esports organization which Berg now owns. (Its public limited company name, according to the site, is still “No Tidehunter.”)

The team began an undefeated tournament run through The International 3, where they defeated Na’vi in one of the most famous matches and events of all time.

The Swedish player remained a staple, icon and face of the Dota 2 team and competitive scene, despite Alliance’s poor play after TI3. Since its inception, the Alliance banner has also grown into a number of other games, including Smash and Hearthstone, and they even attempted a League of Legends team. The team explicitly focuses its efforts on Swedish players.

Long-time Alliance fans are likely sad to see Berg leave after his long tenure on the squad. Still, some hope remains, as the team has been joined by Adrian "Era" Kryeziu, a carry known for his time on Team Escape. It seems Loda wants the best for the team, and sometimes, the best thing to do is let go.