Two-time CS:GO Major champion Nathan ‘NBK’ Schmitt is making a return to competition with MOUZ after a brief Valorant stint.
The 27-year-old has joined MOUZ on a free transfer following the end of his contract with OG, whom he had signed for in December 2019.
After struggling to find a new team following his benching by OG, NBK announced in June 2021 that he was pursuing a career in Valorant, stating that it was “time for a change.”
He began grinding Valorant and even took part in the BLAST Spike Nations #2 for Team France alongside his former CS:GO teammate Kenny ‘kennyS’ Schrub, but as time went on, he started to have second thoughts about his decision.
“There were opportunities in Valorant, I practiced a lot in Valorant with teams,” he said. “But there was always some element missing to really be where I want to be.
“At this point in my career, I really want to be in a place where I believe in everyone and in winning trophies more than anything.”
IL REVIENT pic.twitter.com/rC0jJh5Far
— MOUZ (@mousesports) January 7, 2022
Joining MOUZ
NBK brings with him a wealth of experience, having played for some of the best French CS:Source and CS:GO teams of the last decade.
He has won multiple international titles throughout his career, including two CS:GO Major championships, DreamHack Winter 2014 with LDLC and DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015 with Envy, also making HLTV’s top 20 player ranking every year between 2013 and 2015.
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On MOUZ, NBK will find a team in need of a fillip following the departure of star player Robin ‘ropz’ Kool to FaZe earlier in January. He is the second addition to the squad in the off-season after Hungarian AWPer Ádám ‘torzsi’ Torzsás was promoted from the academy roster to replace Frederik ‘acoR’ Gyldstrand.
2021 was a rough year for MOUZ, with a first place in Flashpoint 3 one of the few bright spots. They crashed out of PGL Major Stockholm in 12th-14th place and ended the year with a last-place finish at IEM Winter.
- Read more: ChrisJ leaves MOUZ CSGO after eight years
The arrival of a player who has been inactive since May will certainly be viewed with suspicion by some fans.
But NBK noted that his track record speaks for itself.
“Every single one of my teams has been successful,” he said. “The worst was probably reaching No.6 in the world.
“Success is coming. It’s just a matter of when it will come. I have no doubt that this is going to work.”
MOUZ CS:GO roster:
- Christopher ‘dexter’ Nong
- David ‘frozen’ Čerňanský
- Aurimas ‘Bymas’ Pipiras
- Ádám ‘torzsi’ Torzsás
- Nathan ‘NBK’ Schmitt
- Dennis ‘sycrone’ Nielsen (coach)
- Frederik ‘acoR’ Gyldstrand (benched)