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A New Era Begins for 100 Thieves

North American organisation 100 Thieves has officially signed Håvard ‘rain’ Nygaard, marking the team’s first major move as it returns to Counter-Strike. The Norwegian rifler arrives after nearly a decade with FaZe, making this one of the biggest roster stories of the year.

The announcement follows a report from Dust2.dk and was later confirmed through an X post featuring a dramatic video of a crown descending onto Rain’s head. The clip ends with the message ‘HIS REIGN IS HERE’, with ‘reign’ crossed out to read ‘RAIN IS HERE’, setting the tone for a bold new project in CS2.

Rain Leaves FaZe After a Historic Run

Rain’s move to 100 Thieves closes the chapter on one of the longest continuous tenures in Counter-Strike history. He first joined FaZe in early 2016 and went on to become one of the organisation’s most iconic players.

Across almost ten years, he captured some of the scene’s top honours including a Major win at PGL Antwerp 2022, an Intel Grand Slam victory in 2023, titles at the CS Asia Championships and Thunderpick World Championship, and several top finishes at ESL Pro League. He also earned multiple appearances on HLTV’s Top 20 Players list.

His departure follows FaZe’s mixed 2025 season, where strong finishes at events like PGL Bucharest and ESL Pro League were offset by inconsistent runs at the Esports World Cup and several BLAST qualifiers. Rain was recently moved to the bench to make way for the return of Russel ‘Twistzz’ Van Dulken, and publicly expressed interest in potentially transitioning into an in-game leader role.

Finding “A New Home”

In his announcement, Rain said he was ready for a fresh challenge.

The sentiment reflects his hunger to stay at the highest level of play and signals that his time at the top is far from over.

Who Will Join Rain in the Line-Up?

For now, 100 Thieves has not revealed the rest of its roster, and speculation is running wild. CS insider OverDrive recently reported that the organisation was targeting the core of GamerLegion, though the team’s CEO later confirmed that while a conversation occurred, there were “no active discussions” about selling any players.

Community mock-ups and fan-made fantasy rosters have already started circulating, with names like Snax, sl3nd, Senzu, and zont1x appearing in predictions. However, nothing has been confirmed and 100 Thieves is keeping plans tight for the moment.

100 Thieves’ Return to Counter-Strike

The move marks 100 Thieves’ first Counter-Strike project since its exit from the esport in 2020. Backed by the 100 Thieves Roobet partnership and a renewed leadership structure, the organisation is aiming for a serious push in CS2.

Just one day before the Rain announcement, 100 Thieves appointed Sean ‘sgares’ Gares as Head of FPS and Graham ‘messioso’ Pitt as Head of CS Operations, signalling the start of an aggressive rebuild.

Rain becomes the centrepiece of this return, bringing more than a decade of tier-one experience and championship pedigree to help shape the roster around him.

Massive Reaction Across the Scene

The signing was met with huge excitement from fans, players, and creators across the community. Replies on X and HLTV ranged from “Return of the King” to “LET IT RAIN”, with many calling the move both unexpected and historic.

Ninjas in Pyjamas, fellow pros, and even long-time fans from across the world jumped in to celebrate the announcement. Some called it a “new era” for 100 Thieves while others labelled it “a shocking move” that could reshape the CS2 competitive landscape.

What Happens Next?

100 Thieves has not shared details on its competitive debut or when the full roster will be unveiled. With Rain locked in and new leadership driving the project, the organisation looks ready to make a strong statement in its return to Counter-Strike.

For Rain, this marks the beginning of a new chapter after ten years with FaZe, and fans will be watching closely to see how this next stage of his career unfolds.