FaZe Clan made a bold and somewhat controversial move by replacing their main AWPer broky with the star player s1mple ahead of the season’s key tournaments. While the decision didn’t bring immediate success at IEM Dallas 2025, it opens the door for a much stronger performance at the upcoming BLAST.tv Major. The return of rain, who missed the Dallas event, is expected to reinforce the roster, while s1mple will have valuable time to adapt and train. Despite the risks, FaZe have every chance to turn this gamble into a success story.
Trial run with s1mple and without rain: FaZe fall short at IEM Dallas
The first event with the new lineup was IEM Dallas 2025, where FaZe underperformed. The team was eliminated after losing to HEROIC in the fight for a quarterfinal spot and exited the tournament earlier than expected. s1mple’s performance raised questions — despite his immense experience and individual talent, it was clear he hadn’t fully adapted to CS2. His play was inconsistent, and the team’s coordination occasionally faltered.
The situation was further complicated by another change: Håvard “rain” Nygaard missed the tournament due to personal reasons — his wife was expecting a baby. In his place, Lucas “skullz” Tempero stepped in. While skullz tried to fill the role, the team clearly missed rain’s composure, experience, and reliability in clutch moments. The synergy and stability that rain brings were noticeably lacking.
FaZe prepare for the Major: time for s1mple and rain’s return
Despite the disappointing showing in Dallas, FaZe still have time to regroup. With around two weeks left until the BLAST.tv Major in Austin, the team has a crucial window for practice and preparation. This period is especially important for s1mple, who needs to regain his form and integrate more effectively into the team environment.
Rain’s return is also expected to be a major boost for FaZe ahead of their most important event of the season. With a full lineup, deep experience, and strong motivation, the team has all the ingredients to contest for the trophy.
FaZe’s big experiment: all or nothing at BLAST.tv Major
FaZe have taken a risky but potentially rewarding gamble. The question remains whether s1mple can fully adapt to the new environment in time, and if the team can find the necessary chemistry to compete at the highest level. The BLAST.tv Major will be the ultimate test of whether this bold experiment was worth it.
