Twistzz Departing Liquid After FISSURE Playground 2

Twistzz Departing Liquid After FISSURE Playground 2

Team Liquid has confirmed that Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken will be leaving the organization at the conclusion of FISSURE Playground 2. 

The announcement described Twistzz’s move as a transfer from the team, which suggests that Liquid already has a destination lined up for him, though the identity of the next team was not disclosed in the official statement. 

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Background & Liquid’s Recent Struggles

• This will mark the end of Twistzz’s second stint with Liquid. His first term was from 2017 to 2020, a very successful period including many trophies, an Intel Grand Slam, and strong LAN performances.

• He rejoined Liquid in December 2023, during a major rebuild of the roster that included signings like Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Felipe “skullz” Medeiros, and Wilton “zews” Prado. At that time, fans hoped he would take on a more central role than he had during his time at FaZe, where he often played more flexibly.

• However, Liquid’s results in this period have been underwhelming. The team has failed to make deep runs in many tournaments, and their performance in big events (especially Majors) has not aligned with expectations. A few playoff appearances but no trophies have added to pressure.

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Organizational Changes & Role Shifts

• Due to lackluster results, Liquid made several roster changes: they removed cadiaN, skullz, and zews, replacing them with Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak, Torbjørn “mithR” Nyborg, and Justin “jks” Savage. These changes also led to Twistzz taking over IGL duties for a time.

• Later, Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek was brought in to take on IGL responsibilities, effectively lightening Twistzz’s load and allowing him to revert more to a rifler role. The aim was to stabilize the team’s leadership structure and dynamics.

• Despite these adjustments, Liquid’s form in 2025 remained inconsistent. A specific pressure point has been their potential to miss the StarLadder Budapest Major invitation, due to insufficient Valve Regional Standings (VRS) points and recent losses.

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What His Departure Signals

• Twistzz’s exit is likely part of a larger roster retooling for Liquid. The statement from the organization explicitly mentioned “further roster updates coming soon,” indicating that this is not just an isolated change.

• Given the timing—after FISSURE Playground 2—and the description of a “transfer,” it seems Liquid expects to replace him by signing a new player. How this will affect team roles, strategies, and internal hierarchy is yet to be seen.

• For Twistzz, this move might represent not just a chance to reset, but an opportunity to get back into a stable and maybe more competitive environment. Several sources note that FaZe Clan has already announced his return. Indeed, FaZe published “He’s coming home. Welcome back Twistzz.” This implies that his destination is FaZe Clan.

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Implications & What to Expect Next

• For Liquid: Losing a player of Twistzz's caliber and experience is significant. They will need to not only find someone to fill his role but also adjust team chemistry, leadership, and map strategies.

• For FaZe: Bringing him back would mean reshuffling their roster—deciding who is replaced, how roles change, etc. There is fan excitement given his successful past with FaZe (Major wins, strong individual performances). 

• Community & Expectations: Fans and analysts have been critical of Liquid’s inability to break into the top tier consistently since Twistzz’s return. This departure is likely a turning point for both the player and the team.

• Majors & VRS: With Major invites and VRS points in play, Liquid cannot afford many missteps. Their performance in upcoming matches post-FISSURE may decide whether they salvage their Major chances. Twistzz’s contributions up to his departure will be under scrutiny.