Twistzz Reveals Why He Left FaZe Clan

Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken has revealed the motive behind his departure from FaZe Clan to join Team Liquid

Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken created a buzz a few days ago when he departed FaZe Clan to reunite with Team Liquid, his former team, from 2017 to 2021. During his tenure at FaZe Clan, the Canadian rifler achieved remarkable success, notably securing a second Intel Grand Slam title—a feat unprecedented in the history of competitive Counter-Strike. Twistzz has recently broken the silence surrounding his transfer, shedding light on why he departed from the organization following a trophy-laden stint.

Why did Twistzz Leave FaZe Clan?

During an HLTV interview, Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken outlined his reasons for leaving FaZe Clan. He explained that discussions about renewing his contract came too late, coinciding with his active negotiations with Vitality and Liquid.

“It’s been a bit weird. I feel like it got sparked because of a lack of willingness by FaZe to start negotiations. Now I know that it’s just how they operate and they were deeply sorry about it, but my contract was basically already ended by the time negotiations came around. Sometime in September my contract term technically did end.”

“Coming from Liquid to FaZe, negotiations usually start six, even seven months in advance, and the negotiation with FaZe was basically starting weeks before my contract was ending. There was a lack of communication for about a month, and within that month, like two weeks in, I told FaZe, “Man, I have team offers coming in, I need to know what’s happening. Am I still here or what?” By the time there was an answer, I was already in pretty deep talks with Vitality and Liquid.”

Twistzz admitted that making the decision was difficult. He considered rejecting the new offer and continuing with FaZe. The turning point arrived during IEM Sydney, influenced by factors like karrigan’s advancing age and the news of GameSquare acquiring the organization.

Credit: FaZe Clan

“I remember there was a night, I think the night before the semi-final game, I was told that I had to make a decision before 5 AM, and I was sitting there outside of the hotel, looking at my phone. It was 4 AM, and I was just having a super-deep conversation with myself, like, ‘Man, what the f**k am I doing? I need to really think hard about this right now.’ Ultimately, I chose Liquid then and there.”

“Another weird thing during Sydney was the GameSquare acquisition news, and that really played a factor in what was happening in my head at the time, that it was tough. Even now I was thinking like, it could have been fun to see what happens and if there has to be a new org that needs to be found, going on that journey.”

Twistzz clarified that he decided against joining Vitality due to the potential necessity of rearranging roles within the team. He desired to transition to a rotator role, expressing fatigue with his previous position as an anchor. Despite Vitality IGL Dan “apEX” Madesclaire’s willingness to alter the lineup for Twistzz, the 24-year-old declined, citing concerns about upsetting the team’s chemistry.

Team Liquid Reemerge As NA Heavyweights with Twistzz Transfer

In addition to Twistzz, Liquid has also added Casper “cadiaN” Møller and Wilton “zews” Prado as part of their ambitious overhaul, with zews taking charge of assembling the new lineup.The addition of Twistzz reestablishes Liquid as a primarily Americas-based core, leading them to seek qualification through the Americas for the PGL Major Copenhagen, scheduled for early next year. 

Twistzz’s comeback to Liquid has sparked considerable enthusiasm among Liquid fans, primarily due to his previous tenure. During the team’s prime in the middle of 2019, his presence was vital as they dominated, winning an impressive five elite tournaments in succession, claiming an Intel Grand Slam, and reaching the pinnacle of world rankings.