FaZe Clan has officially brought back Håvard “rain” Nygaard to its active Counter-Strike 2 roster for the remainder of ESL Pro League Season 22, marking a surprising twist in the team’s ongoing lineup story.

Just days after being benched to make room for Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken, rain is back in action — this time replacing Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski, who now heads to the bench due to an ESL roster compliance rule.

A Sudden Turnaround for FaZe Clan

On September 29, FaZe Clan shocked fans by announcing that rain would step down from the main lineup after nearly a decade of competing under the FaZe banner. His removal made way for Twistzz’s high-profile return from Team Liquid, sparking mixed emotions across the Counter-Strike 2 community.

However, things changed quickly. On October 4, FaZe announced that rain would temporarily rejoin the roster for the ESL Pro League, which runs from September 28 to October 12, 2025.

Why Was rain Reinstated?

FaZe’s decision came after the team forfeited a match against G2 Esports due to ESL’s strict tournament rules. According to ESL regulations, teams must play with the same lineup they qualified with, and since FaZe earned their spot back in July 2025, they must compete with that exact roster.

• Finn “karrigan” Andersen
• David “frozen” Čerňanský
• Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken
• Helvijs “broky” Saukants
• Håvard “rain” Nygaard
• Coach: Filip “NEO” Kubski

🎥 Watch: rain’s Best Moments of 2025

Before his unexpected return, rain proved once again why he’s one of FaZe Clan’s most iconic players. Relive his clutch moments from the Austin Major 2025 playoffs in this highlight reel — a reminder of why fans are thrilled to see him back on the server.

rain (FaZe Clan) – All Playoff Souvenir Highlight Charms | Austin Major 2025

💬 Fans React: “This Is the Real FaZe”

The news of rain’s return immediately lit up social media. Fans called it a “redemption arc” and said this version of FaZe is “the roster that can take it all the way.”

Still, FaZe confirmed that this move is temporary. After ESL Pro League Season 22 ends, rain will return to the bench as jcobbb rejoins the active lineup for the CAC 2025 event.

“Following EPL, rain will return to the bench, and we will attend CAC 2025 with a roster of karrigan, broky, Twistzz, frozen, and jcobbb,” FaZe said in an official post on X (formerly Twitter).

What’s Next for rain?

Despite the uncertainty, rain made it clear that he’s not done competing. The veteran rifler says he’s exploring new challenges — including a potential In-Game Leader (IGL) role.

“My journey in CS2 is far from over. I’m not retiring,” rain said. “I’m open to new opportunities, even stepping into an IGL role if that’s the next challenge for me.”