Long before multi-million dollar public offerings and massive Los Angeles mansions, FaZe Clan started as a niche corner of the internet. Founded on May 30, 2010, by three teenage trickshotters known as CLipZ, House Cat (later Timid), and Resistance, the group uploaded Call of Duty montages to YouTube. They didn't care about competitive tournament wins early on; they cared about style, spinning 360 degrees off high ledges, and hitting improbable no-scope kills in Modern Warfare 2.
Fast forward to today, and the landscape looks unrecognizable. The collective grew into a massive lifestyle and esports brand, weathered high-profile corporate buyouts, and saw massive internal shifts. If you've wondered what happened to the original founders and early architects who built the FaZe empire, here is the real story of where they ended up.
The Original Founders: Where Did CLipZ, House Cat, and Resistance Go?
Every major media empire has humble beginnings, but the original trio behind the FaZe Sniping channel stepped away from the spotlight years ago.
- Eric "CLipZ" Rivera: As the primary creator who launched the channel, CLipZ set the visual standard for early trickshotting edits. He cycled in and out of the organization over the years, but largely transitioned away from active daily content creation, settling into a quieter life outside the intense daily grind of internet fame.
- Jeff "House Cat" (Timid) & Ben "Resistance": These co-founders helped establish the foundational editing styles and community forums. They departed the active roster early in the group's history as the brand pivoted toward personality-driven vlogs and competitive rosters, leaving behind a legacy that shaped modern gaming content.
Early Pioneers Who Scaled the Brand
While the founders laid the groundwork, the expansion into the iconic house eras and massive subscriber counts was driven by the second wave of recruits who joined between 2010 and 2013. Further insight on the subject has been provided by BBC.
Thomas "Temperrr" Oliveira
Temperrr joined the group early and eventually served as a central pillar of its business and creative direction. He was instrumental in establishing the physical content houses that changed influencer culture. After years of guiding the brand through its explosive growth and subsequent corporate changes, Temperrr has remained active in the creator space, dabbling in creator-led boxing and digital media ventures.
Richard "Banks" Bengtson
Banks joined a few years after inception and quickly became one of the most recognizable faces of the collective, known for his raw vlogs and unfiltered commentary. He lived through the highs of the Clout House era and the lows of corporate restructuring. In a surprising twist, Banks returned to the helm as CEO to steer the company back toward its grass-roots creator identity after a turbulent period under corporate ownership.
Nordan "Rain" Shat
Rain was the emotional core of early FaZe vlogging, capturing millions of loyal fans with his personal storytelling. His journey hasn't been without struggle; he has openly documented severe health battles, addiction, and public fallout with various members. Though he remains a historical co-owner, his presence in daily content has scaled back significantly as he focuses on personal recovery and private ventures.
Why Did the Original Dynamic Shift?
The transition from a bedroom montage channel to a corporate entity changed everything. Several structural pressures fractured the original brotherhood:
- Commercialization vs. Culture: When outside investors and executive management stepped in, the priority shifted from making authentic gaming videos to hitting corporate revenue metrics.
- The Public Public-Company Pressure: Going public via a SPAC merger put intense financial scrutiny on the organization, leading to layoffs, leadership shuffles, and an exodus of veteran creators.
- Burnout: Living on camera from adolescence onward takes a severe psychological toll. Many early members simply wanted out of the fishbowl.
To see how these early montage styles and community roots influenced modern gaming creators, watch the overview below.
Common Mistakes When Looking Back at FaZe History
If you're researching or writing about the history of internet collectives, it's easy to fall for common misconceptions:
- Assuming the original founders stayed wealthy stakeholders: Many early members sold out or drifted away long before the peak corporate valuations, missing out on multi-million dollar payouts.
- Confusing competitive esports rosters with content creators: FaZe operated two distinct arms—the competitive gaming teams winning majors in games like Counter-Strike, and the lifestyle influencers living in houses. They operated under the same banner, but had entirely different daily lives.
- Thinking the brand vanished: While the media divisions underwent massive restructuring and closures, the core brand and competitive teams continue to operate under new corporate umbrellas like GameSquare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who actually created FaZe Clan?
The channel was originally founded in May 2010 by three players: Eric Rivera (CLipZ), Jeff Emann (House Cat/Timid), and Ben Christensen (Resistance). They focused entirely on Call of Duty trickshotting.
Are any of the original members still involved?
Some figures from the early-to-mid era, such as Richard "Banks" (who serves as CEO) and Thomas "Temperrr" Oliveira, maintained structural ties through the corporate restructuring, while the absolute earliest founders moved on from daily operations years ago.
Where was the famous FaZe House located?
The early content houses started in places like Plainview, New York, before the collective famously relocated to Los Angeles to dominate the West Coast influencer scene alongside other prominent internet stars.
What caused the major changes in the organization?
Rapid corporate scaling, a public stock market debut that underperformed relative to lofty expectations, and shifts in digital media monetization forced massive layoffs, executive changes, and a return to grassroots leadership.
For more details on the organization's official corporate milestones, you can check the FaZe Clan Official Site or read broader financial breakdowns on Bloomberg.
