It is just a week since 100 Thieves announced the acquisition of Håvard “rain” Nygaard, and the org is already delivering some great content around their new signing.
In one of the first videos, the Norwegian rifler pulls back the curtain on how close he was to walking away from Counter-Strike entirely, right before his career truly began.
A late start to his career
The Norwegian veteran shares some insight into the beginning of his journey, explaining how a stand-in appearance suddenly turned into one of the first true international projects in Counter-Strike.
“We needed a player for Copenhagen Games 2015, and we got Maikelele in. Afterward he told me, ‘Come with me, I’m starting an international project.’ That’s how it began.”
At this point in rain’s career he was playing for LGB in a full Norwegian squad that never really broke through. Copenhagen Games 2015 was supposed to be just another event with a last minute stand-in. Instead, it became the moment that changed everything, and the quiet starting point for Team Kinguin.
“I was actually about to quit Counter-Strike after that tournament. I was twenty, working at a grocery store, and didn’t want to keep playing.”
He was ready to clock out of esports and stick with a normal life. No salary, no real structure, and no guarantees made the grind hard to justify. The international project with Maikelele arrived at exactly the right time.
“There was no money back then. I just wanted to do something else. Then I got that call, got a contract, and thought, ‘Alright, I’m going to go play some games.’”
Kinguin quickly led to G2, and even though those stints were short, they set up the move that would define his career, almost ten years in FaZe at the very top of Counter-Strike.
During his time on FaZe he won 20 notable trophies and the PGL Antwerp Major, also being crowned the MVP of that Major.
Transitioning to in-game leading
When rain joined 100 Thieves, it was not just a veteran signing. For the first time in his career he is committing fully to the role of in-game leader, something he has quietly been thinking about for a long time.
“It’s been on my mind for a little while that that’s kind of my next step. Going through all the roles that I’ve played, I just wanted to finish my career in this way.”
For years, the idea in his head looked different. In a perfect world, he imagined going home and building something purely Norwegian.
“My main goal was always go back to Norway and do it there with another Norwegian team, but then I also feel like I want to be in the tier one scene still. So a different opportunity came around the corner with you guys.”
Stepping into an IGL role at this stage of his career still comes with nerves, but it is clear the challenge excites him more than it scares him.
“I’m a little nervous, but also really excited for the challenge. It’s going to be a lot more talking and just trying to take control of some players.”
Who the other players on the 100 Thieves Roobet CS2 team will be is still unknown. In the video they mention both the possibility of taking over an existing core for Valve Regional Standings (VRS) purposes and the option of building a lineup from scratch.
You can watch the full video just below.
