FaZe Clan has made one of its biggest Counter-Strike 2 roster changes yet, benching veteran rifler Håvard “rain” Nygaard after almost ten years with the team. The move clears the way for Canadian star Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken to return to the starting five, just months after rejoining the organisation from Team Liquid.
After 3541 days on our CS roster, we have made the very difficult decision to move rain to the bench.
Håvard remains a world class player and his career is far from over. We are so grateful for the memories we made together, and you will always be a legend in our FaZe family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/xrgLkiHrp8
— FaZe Esports (@FaZeEsports) September 29, 2025
Rain joined FaZe back in January 2016, becoming a cornerstone of the squad through its many highs and lows. Across nearly a decade, the Norwegian rifler collected 19 trophies, including the PGL Antwerp Major in 2022, an Intel Grand Slam, and ESL Pro League Season 17. He was also named MVP at four tournaments and featured three times in HLTV’s Top 20 players of the year, peaking at 13th in 2022.
In a heartfelt statement on X, rain thanked his teammates, coaches, and fans for “countless memories, amazing matches, and trophies we have lifted.” He added that representing FaZe had been an honour, but made it clear that he has no intention of retiring from CS2.
— Håvard Nygaard (@FaZe_rainCS) September 29, 2025
“My journey in CS2 is far from over. I’m not retiring. I will keep competing and growing as a player. I’m open to offers for any role, and while stepping into the IGL role would be a new challenge for me, it’s one I’m eager to embrace,” rain said.
FaZe Looks Ahead With Twistzz
Rain’s departure comes during a period of heavy roster changes for FaZe in 2025. The team recently parted ways with Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski and signed Polish rifler Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski from Betclic. With Twistzz back in the mix, the team is hoping to find stability after more than a year without a major title.
Twistzz previously spent three years with FaZe before leaving for Liquid in 2023. Now returning to familiar ground, he’ll line up alongside in-game leader Finn “karrigan” Andersen, David “frozen” Čerňanský, Helvijs “broky” Saukants, and jcobbb, with legendary coach Filip “NEO” Kubski still at the helm.
FaZe’s next challenge is ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 2, which kicks off on October 4. Currently ranked 12th in the Valve Regional Standings, the team is on course to qualify for the StarLadder Budapest Major this November. Strong results in Pro League could secure their spot and set the tone for the rest of the season.
For rain, this marks the end of an era but potentially the start of a new chapter. Whether he embraces the IGL role or finds a fresh opportunity elsewhere, one thing is clear: his story in Counter-Strike 2 is far from finished.