FaZe captain Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken admitted that he previously could negatively affect the team’s atmosphere when matches were not going well. Following recent tournaments, the Canadian and frozen have reconsidered their approach, and Twistzz now wants to create the most positive environment possible for his younger teammates, regardless of his own statistics.
Twistzz acknowledged his own problem
FaZe’s recent matches at RLG Tesla Cup were noticeably different from the team’s previous performances, not only in terms of results but also emotions. After victories over Alliance and K27, the players appeared much more energetic, and Twistzz explained that this was the result of a conscious change in his behavior within the roster.
To be honest, sometimes I was the one bringing down the good mood. David and I have very high standards for how the team should play, and when something goes wrong or someone makes a mistake, we both have a very bad habit of becoming negative.
According to Twistzz, those high standards remain, but he is now trying not to project his own frustration onto his younger teammates. This is particularly important for the new FaZe roster, as the team is undergoing a rebuild and some of its players are still adapting to high-pressure matches.
These young players don’t deserve to constantly be surrounded by negative emotions
Twistzz separately emphasized that the result of a particular map or his personal statistics should no longer determine the energy he brings to the team. For the captain, maintaining the confidence of younger players has become a priority, even during difficult matches.
These young players don’t deserve to constantly be surrounded by negative emotions, so now I’ll just bring the good vibes. It doesn’t matter whether I’m going 4-15 or having a great game — I want to make sure these guys are feeling the game, feeling good, and playing with confidence. I want the best for them.
This change fits well with Twistzz’s new role. After returning to FaZe, he took on not only greater responsibility inside the server but also effectively became one of the main figures responsible for the psychological well-being of the younger players on the roster.
frozen is also working on himself
Twistzz revealed that frozen is going through a similar process. The experienced players discussed their problems after disappointing tournaments and concluded that they needed to be not only strong performers but also positive role models for their younger teammates.
I know David is also working on himself to be a better role model for the guys, so after the previous tournaments, we had an honest conversation and reassessed what was happening.
This is an important detail for FaZe right now. The team is trying to build a new identity after a series of inconsistent results, so a stable atmosphere could be just as important as changes to the playbook or individual roles.
Disappointing tournaments also benefited FaZe
Before RLG Tesla Cup, FaZe went through a difficult period with two consecutive last-place finishes at FISSURE Playground 3 and Stake Ranked Episode 4. However, Twistzz believes that even those setbacks gave the team valuable experience and helped the new roster develop better chemistry more quickly.
Even though we lost at the previous tournaments, I think it was a very valuable experience. Look at the teams that are rising right now, like 1win or Nemiga. They play a lot of official matches and gain plenty of experience on the server against other teams. That experience is helping us now as well, allowing us to play together more and build better synergy.
Playing a large number of official matches became an alternative to the usual practice routine for FaZe. The team had an opportunity to identify its weaknesses more quickly in real matches, while Twistzz gained a better understanding of how the roster responds to different situations.
FaZe have practically secured their Major spot
The results of recent tournaments have also significantly improved FaZe’s position in the race for an invitation to PGL Singapore Major. Following victories over Alliance and K27, their simulated qualification probability increased to 97.1%, although the final situation will become clear after the VRS update on November 2.
At the same time, Twistzz emphasizes that the team is trying not to focus exclusively on ranking points. FaZe’s main objective at RLG Tesla Cup remains winning the tournament itself, which could boost their confidence ahead of their return to major tier-1 competitions.
The next test — IEM Beijing
After a series of smaller LAN tournaments, FaZe will return to the highest level at IEM Beijing 2026. Twistzz is convinced that the team is ready to compete against the strongest rosters again and should not change its approach simply because of an opponent’s name.
We have to play our own game the same way, regardless of who we’re facing — whether it’s Sangal or any other team, Vitality or Spirit. Our goal is not to be intimidated by the names on the server or by what they can bring against us.
FaZe are gradually recovering from one of the most difficult stretches of their season. But for Twistzz, the biggest change has not been the results or the team’s ranking position, but his understanding of his own responsibility for the atmosphere: the captain now wants younger players to receive confidence from their experienced teammates rather than additional pressure.
