NBK leaving CSGO for Valorant, seemingly departs from OG

Fariha Bhatti Published 29/06/2021

French Counter-Strike: Global Offensive maestro Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt has announced his official switch to Riot Games’ tactical shooter, Valorant. 

NBK has finally made the big switch after spending almost three months as the frontman of DBL Poney. In a surprise video announcement, the professional player has confirmed that his time in CSGO has finally come to an end. 

“I lived the big disappointments and the best tournament wins. Counter–Strike gave me everything and I dedicated my life to it. But memories are made to stay in the past. It’s time for a change and I’m coming to dominate,” NBK said in his announcement video.

The Valorant teaser was later confirmed by NBK’s former team OG in a farewell blog. The organization acknowledged NBK’s accomplishments throughout his time in Counter-Strike and thanked him for his contributions to esports. 

“He already had nothing left to prove on a server, NBK also stood out for his rare professionalism and work ethic, worthy of his record. This new challenge on VALORANT marks the beginning of a new chapter in his career, but also illustrates the growing importance of Riot Games in esports,” OG’s blog stated.

NBK leaves Counter-Strike

A plethora of CSGO pros have made the big switch to Valorant since its release in 2020 but few European stars have actually made the full-time plunge, with Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer, Kenny “kennyS” Schrub, and more teasing the move but not yet taking the plunge. 

The French ace has a long career in CSGO. NBK was a staple of the French CSGO scene, playing for every major organization over the last 10 years. His contributions to some of the major esports French squads may be hard to notice, but his decorated resume speaks for his achievements. 

NBK earned his first major trophy in 2014 under Team-LDLC’s jersey. The pro player then moved on to Team EnVyUs, winning yet another major at DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2015, ultimately becoming one of the best players in the world. His final years in CSGO were less decorated as he joined an underwhelming OG, but he still managed to notch some memorable performances alongside Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen and other members of the super-team. 

The 27-year old was benched by OG in February, which initiated his search for a better team to continue his journey in CSGO. While many speculated that NBK will likely create another French CSGO roster, it seems that he has different plans for this time on.

NBK hasn’t announced his new Valorant team yet but his skill set should allow him to become an instant star in the Riot Games-made tactical shooter.

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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