rain: "It was nice, but this is not my future and my priorities can't only be on FaZe"

The Norwegian added that pushing Vitality the distance in the semis was a far better way for him to go out than FaZe's exit at FISSURE Playground 2.

Håvard "⁠rain⁠" Nygaard's surprise last hurrah with FaZe came to an end after a 0-2 loss to MOUZ in the third-place decider, bringing an end to what he described as "a weird week" in a post-match interview with HLTV.

He was called in as a last-minute substitute on the second day of Stage 2, not even a full week after being moved to the bench, and a reunion with Russel "⁠Twistzz⁠" Van Dulken saw the team make a run to the playoffs, defeat Spirit, and push Vitality the distance in the semis.

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Twistzz on if he was always going to replace rain: "People may have thought otherwise (laughs), but yeah. In the early talks, it was like that"

"It's what was lacking at FISSURE for me, the ending there, because that was like... not FaZe, in a way, because we always have these really intense games," rain said about his last run with FaZe. "Your blood is pumping, you feel the game, you're just living in the moment, and that's what we had yesterday versus Vitality. That was a way better ending than what we had previously."

The Norwegian also spoke about playing one last time with Twistzz, how he and his wife were "fuming" after realizing he would miss the Major, and when more news about his future might be known.

You can watch the interview here.

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rain, bittersweet, but that was your final match with FaZe. Tell me how that was for you.

It was a little weird week, to be honest (smiles). It feels weird saying it's my final match with FaZe, but I'm going to look to the future and that's kinda what I've been trying to do the last week since I got the news.

You weren't expected to come here and play this event, but to have this chance, this last hurrah, especially with Russ [Twistzz] back in the lineup, how was that? What did that mean to you?

It was really good. I wish I would have known sooner so I could have grinded a little bit of CS, because I was a little bit rusty coming into this event. I spent some time trying to reset, play some other games, and not focus too much on CS. I think I had like... 12 FACEIT games or something with Olof [olofmeister]. So, other than that, I'm just happy I managed to get some points with the guys, get them a little bit up in the ranking, and finish on kind of a good note, compared to the FISSURE event at least.

Tell me about that a little bit, because as you say, you were kinda done, you were at home, you didn't expect to come here. Getting that call to come in, what was going through your mind at that point?

I don't know, there's been a lot of things going through my mind. I have meetings left and right, every day, and I'm just trying to figure out what's next. It's been a lot. It was nice of course, but at the same time, this is not my future, and my priorities can't only be on FaZe. I have to secure my future as well.

So it's been... probably a little distracted during this tournament, and my mind hasn't always been on the game. But it was fun, of course, playing with Russ again, he's matured a lot since the last time we played and he's way more vocal and more clear with what he wants to do. It's great to see him come back like this, and there's a bright future for this team, for sure.

From the outside looking in, there was a lot of conversation when you went out of the lineup about the way that it happened. Like, 'Oh, it's before the Major, it's rough for someone who has been around for so long.' What was the feeling like for you with that?

I was pissed the first time I heard about it because I knew I was going to be fucked for the rest of the season, if you could say. But I tried to be rational about it I think.

From FaZe's perspective as well, I understand that they want to focus on the future with a young core and go that direction, so I made my peace with it within a week or something. But I was fuming a little bit, and I think my wife is still fuming about it (laughs). I mean, of course it was a bad situation mentally, but yeah, it is what it is.

Was it awkward at all, getting the call to come in?

Awkward? Nah, I mean... it wasn't awkward in that sense, I think FISSURE was more awkward because then we were kinda just waiting for the trade to go through and I was thinking like, 'Okay, I'm just here to play.' But now, as I said, I was a bit rusty, I was hungover as hell when the call came in (laughs), and it was alright. I just came here and tried to help the guys out, and there's no bad blood between us and the players or the management. I'm happy I managed to help a little bit.

And in terms of playing with Russ again as part of your last hurrah with FaZe, was that an experience you really appreciated getting? A bit of a reunion.

Yeah, for sure! Getting back with the boys, we almost had the full lineup from 2022 playing here. Missing just Robin [ropz], who knocked us out, ironically (laughs). But yeah, it was really nice to be back with the boys and get the vibes back.

Touching on that match yesterday, it was a rough loss after a crazy intense game, Mirage going to multiple overtimes. But playing them that close with a lineup that wasn't meant to be here with this iteration, what does it mean to you to go out on that note? Third-place decider aside.

Yeah, it's what was lacking at FISSURE for me, the ending there, because that was like... not FaZe, in a way, because we always have these really intense games. Your blood is pumping, you feel the game, you're just living in the moment, and that's what we had yesterday versus Vitality. That was a way better ending than what we had previously. It felt good in that sense.

Lastly, you touched on it earlier, you said you have a lot of meetings, a lot things going on in terms of what could be next for you. Is there anything else that you can say on that note-

No.

-what we should see from rain going forward, or when we might expect to hear something about you?

Obviously, this pushed my timeline a little bit with coming to the event, and I kinda put some things on pause just for this so I could try to focus on CS at least. But... within a couple of weeks is my timeline to figure out what's going to happen, because I don't want to sit on the back foot and just wait. I want to try to have something concrete and start working towards that goal.