NBK and Vitality advance while G2 struggles in Katowice

While Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt didn’t face former teammate Richard “shox” Papillon directly at the 2019 Katowice Major, his strategic victory resonated throughout the European Counter-Strike scene, marking a significant personal achievement.

During the fourth round of the New Challengers Stage, Team Vitality clinched their advancement to the New Legends Stage with a solid 3-1 record, achieved through a hard-fought best-of-three series victory against Vici Gaming that showcased their resilience under pressure.

Vitality appeared unstable during the initial phases of game one on Inferno. Vici Gaming, driven by exceptional firepower from Andrew “kaze” Khong who consistently found opening picks, accumulated rounds effortlessly and seemed destined to secure the opening map. However, their dominance gradually diminished as the match progressed, enabling Vitality to mount an impressive comeback with eight consecutive rounds that nearly snatched victory from apparent defeat.

Vici demonstrated remarkable tenacity by surviving multiple match points and forcing the contest into overtime, then double overtime, and ultimately triple overtime. Despite their persistence, the Chinese squad never actually reached a match point opportunity themselves. Vitality ultimately prevailed through two spectacular clutch rounds executed by Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, culminating in a hard-earned 25-22 win that lasted over 45 minutes of intense competition.

That hard-fought comeback on Inferno clearly boosted Vitality’s confidence and translated into a much more controlled second game on Nuke. By implementing smart map rotations and maintaining disciplined economy management—crucial skills for any competitive team composition—Vitality consistently denied Vici opportunities to build any lasting momentum and secured a convincing 16-12 victory.

The series triumph served as powerful validation of NBK-‘s capabilities as an in-game leader and helped justify his controversial separation from G2 Esports, demonstrating how proper team strategy can overcome individual talent.

NBK- originally joined G2 Esports in 2017 alongside former EnVyUs teammates Dan “apEX” Madesclaire and Kenny “kennyS” Schrub. While this new French superteam initially appeared poised for championship contention, the squad gradually lost cohesion over time and experienced repeated roster instability issues that hampered their performance.

A professional conflict between Shox and NBK- emerged during this period, with both players publicly exchanging criticisms through various media channels. As consistent tournament success continued to evade G2, the organization ultimately made the strategic decision to build around Shox’s star power and part ways with NBK. Although direct public confrontations have ceased since the separation, this shared history ensures that Vitality versus G2 matches remain among the most heated rivalries in European Counter-Strike competition.

Currently, this rivalry clearly favors Vitality’s approach to team building and strategic execution.

Despite entering the Katowice Major as one of the eight highest-seeded teams in the New Challengers Stage, G2 Esports has encountered significant difficulties during the initial tournament days. After beginning with a straightforward win against Vega Squadron, the French organization was comprehensively outplayed by ENCE and decisively beaten by Avangar, highlighting the importance of consistent performance execution at elite competitive levels.

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