Twistzz Leaves Team Liquid (Again)

Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken is leaving Team Liquid at the end of FISSURE Playground 2. Liquid confirmed in an official statement that after almost two years back on their roster, Twistzz will “transfer” – which sounds like there already is somewhere waiting for him.

This isn’t his first time leaving. He was with Liquid from 2017-2020, then left for FaZe, and now, after a rough run with Liquid (lots of changes, inconsistent results, role shuffles) he’s heading back to FaZe.

The Liquid Story: Why Things Didn’t Click

Twistzz leaves Team Liquid CS2 — Image credit: Team Liquid CS @ X

The second chapter of Twistzz’s time at Team Liquid came with big expectations. They reshuffled, brought in new players (cadiaN, skullz, zews), tried changing leadership roles, eventually giving Twistzz IGL responsibilities. Nothing really “clicked” though – Liquid got some playoff appearances, but nothing deep. Results were often middling, especially for a roster with a name like Twistzz attached.

Fans pointed to internal issues: role instability, performance ups and downs, not enough consistency. When it matters most (major qualifiers etc.), the team often looked like they weren’t ready.

The Return: Twistzz Back to FaZe

Twistzz joins FaZe Team CS2 — Image credit: FaZe Team @ X

FaZe Clan wasted little time making it official. As soon as the Liquid announcement dropped, FaZe said Twistzz is “coming home”. His return becomes active for ESL Pro League Season 22.

Twistzz’s time at FaZe from 2021-2023 was his peak: trophies, big wins, Intel Grand Slam, a Major, etc. FaZe will need to do some shifting – they haven’t yet said who gets benched, or exactly what judgment they’ll place him into (rifler? role change?) given the roster already has several big names.

What’s Different This Time Around

When he left FaZe in 2023, that roster still had the old guard, certain synergies, older maps, etc. Now, the tactical landscape (in CS2) is different, the player pool’s different, and FaZe’s role setup is more crowded. He’s coming into something that’s not exactly like what he left.
Also, in his Liquid return, he had to juggle more: leadership changes, inconsistent teammates, needing to carry more than maybe he wanted. This time, at FaZe, he might be expected to slide into a more defined slot and produce more immediately.
Pressure will be high: fans will expect the “Twistzz-of-old” moments (clutches, entries, fireworks), and there’s less room for slop. If early games show weaknesses, people will notice.

So yeah – this move is one of the bigger roster stories of 2025 in CS2. It’s messy, it’s dramatic, and depending what happens next, it could be a turning point both for Twistzz and these two orgs.