When Håvard “rain” Nygaard left FaZe Clan in September 2025 after 3540 days of service, one of esports’ greatest loyalty stories came to an end. In a world where players switch teams every few months, rain spent one-third of his entire life with a single organization — exactly 31.2% of all his days on earth.
But what made him stay when rosters changed around him, stars came and went, and the esports industry itself underwent revolutionary transformations?
The Anatomy of Devotion: What Made rain Irreplaceable
Rain’s journey with FaZe began in January 2016 when he was just 21.4 years old. But even then, he possessed qualities that made him the only untouchable player in a constantly shifting roster. As Finn “karrigan” Andersen recalls: “When I joined FaZe Clan, the idea was that everyone except rain could be replaced”. This statement reveals the essence of the rain phenomenon — he became not just a player, but the foundation of the team.
Unlike many Counter-Strike stars, rain never demanded special attention or tactics built around him. His versatility allowed him to adapt to any roster and any role. “Rain is a very special beast and very nice team player,” karrigan noted. This adaptability became the key to his longevity: while other players clashed over roles or couldn’t adjust to new teammates, rain simply did what the team needed.
Over nine years with FaZe, rain played alongside 19 different teammates. He witnessed the arrival and departure of legends like Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer, Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, and Ladislav “GuardiaN” Kovács. He survived the highs of the 2017-2018 superteam and the painful defeats in major finals. Throughout it all, he remained the constant — reliable, stable foundation of the team.
A Player Without Instructions: Unique Gaming Approach
One of rain’s most remarkable characteristics was how he played Counter-Strike. In interviews, karrigan admitted that rain is “the only tier-1 player he knows who doesn’t carry a playbook with him”. In a world where professional teams rely on detailed tactical schemes and endless hours of studying grenades, rain relied on intuition and natural game understanding.
Rain has incredible intuition for the game, executes almost any grenade setup live
This ability to play “off the textbook” made rain unpredictable for opponents while remaining reliable for his team. He could make correct decisions without micromanagement, freeing in-game leaders to work with other players.
This approach also meant rain could easily integrate with new lineups. While other players adapted to new tactical schemes, rain simply continued playing his reliable game, providing stability during rebuilding periods.
Family Man in the Esports World
One of the most important aspects of rain’s story, often overlooked, was his journey to fatherhood during his gaming career. In February 2023, rain and his Ukrainian wife Sonya welcomed their first daughter, whom he lovingly called “raindrop”. In May 2025, the family welcomed their second child — “raindrop number two”.
These events revealed another side of rain’s longevity phenomenon with FaZe. The organization didn’t just allow him to take leave for family care, but supported his life priorities. When the second child’s birth approached in 2025, rain openly stated:
My beautiful wife is 39 weeks pregnant and about to give birth to another raindrop, so I need to be home to take care of family!
FaZe understood that for rain, family would always be priority, and this mutual support strengthened their bond.
Becoming a father also changed rain’s game itself. He became a more mature, responsible player who could serve as an example for young players on the team. “Rain remains one of the few elite players who serve as a role model not only in-game but beyond it,” journalists noted.
Stability in the Chaos of Rebuilds
The period from 2018 to 2022 became a test of strength for rain and FaZe. After the painful defeat in the ELEAGUE Major Boston 2018 final, the team began a series of roster changes that lasted several years. Karrigan was removed from in-game leadership, then left the team entirely. NiKo tried to combine the roles of star and leader, but this brought no success.
During this period, FaZe won only two BLAST tournaments in three years. The team dropped to 39th place in the ranking — the lowest position in the organization’s history. Many players could have requested a transfer or simply left the team. But rain stayed.
I became a much more passive player. I’m no longer that straightforward, aggressive player I used to be
He understood that the team needed stability more than individual achievements and was ready to sacrifice personal statistics for the common cause.
Long-Awaited Reward: Triumph in Antwerp
Rain’s patience was rewarded in 2022 when FaZe assembled perhaps their strongest roster. Karrigan’s return as in-game leader and Robin “ropz” Kool’s arrival created the perfect balance of experience and talent. And it was then that rain showed why he had stayed with FaZe all those years.
At PGL Major Antwerp 2022, rain not only won his first major but became tournament MVP at age 27 years and 8 months — the oldest major MVP in Counter-Strike history. In the final against Natus Vincere, he recorded 52 frags and 107.9 damage per round, finishing the tournament with 30 kills on the deciding map. This wasn’t just individual performance — it was the culmination of nearly seven years of waiting.
Rain became the first Norwegian to win a Counter-Strike major, and receiving the MVP award at such an age proved that team loyalty could bear no less fruit than constant transfers in search of better opportunities.
Legacy of Loyalty in the Transfer Era
During his 3540 days with FaZe, rain set the record for longest tenure with a single team in Counter-Strike. He surpassed the previous record of Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski (3013 days with Team Liquid) and became a symbol of stability in an industry where players often change teams every few months.
But it’s not just about duration — it’s about what rain proved about building a career based on loyalty. In the esports world, where young players constantly seek better offers, rain’s story showed an alternative path: find an organization that values you and grow together with it.
His 21 titles, four MVP awards, over $1.87 million in prize money, and three HLTV top-20 appearances — all of this resulted not only from talent but from consistency. Rain was never the flashiest player in the world, but he was one of the most reliable, and this quality brought him more success than many stars constantly changing teams.
Epilogue: End of an Era and New Beginning
When rain left FaZe in September 2025, it marked the end of an era not only for him but for all of esports. His story proved that in a world of constant change, you can find stability; in an industry of egoists, you can be a team player; and in an environment where careers end at 25, you can play at the highest level after 30.
Rain spent one-third of his life with FaZe not by accident. He stayed so long because he understood the value of consistency, possessed a unique ability to adapt to any changes, and most importantly, found an organization that shared his values. FaZe valued him not only as a player but as a person — husband, father, leader.
In his farewell statement, rain emphasized:
My journey in CS2 is far from over. I’m not retiring
At 31, with the experience baggage of the greatest loyalty career in Counter-Strike history, rain is ready to write a new chapter. And whatever team he chooses, they will receive not just an experienced player, but a symbol of what it means to be devoted to your craft.
