NBK-: “I love this game way too much” — Building GenOne and Staying in the Grind

NBK-: “I love this game way too much” — Building GenOne and Staying in the Grind

Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt recently sat down with HLTV following GenOne’s run at DraculaN Season 2 to reflect on why he still competes at the highest level, how the project came together, and how he mentors younger teammates. 

Despite having only around 10 days of practice with his squad before the LAN, GenOne exceeded expectations, finishing 5th–6th place in Bucharest — a result NBK considers a strong proof-of-concept. 

“If you told us before the tournament that we would win three BO3s, play tight against top-30 teams … and with the experience we have and practice time, we would take it any day of the week.” 

He stressed that the short prep time made the results even more satisfying.

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Genesis of GenOne & Team Construction

How the Project Came Together

NBK explained that the initiative was largely driven by wasiNk, the team’s coach and former 3DMAX figure, who started assembling the roster. NBK says he was not actively looking for a new team — mostly playing in FACEIT and Deathmatch — until the opportunity surfaced. 

“We started clicking … coach WasiNk put the project together. He wrote to me, we started pulling things together, talking about players.” 

With backing from GenOne and support from KRL, they secured a contract to attend LANs such as DraculaN. 
They only learned of their LAN berth on Day 2 of practice:

“We got told, ‘Hey by the way, you’re going to LAN in ten days.’ It was a surprise.” 

This injection of urgency shaped much of their early strategy and mental preparation.

Balancing Youth & Experience

NBK has taken on a role beyond fragging: mentoring younger players Brooxsy and Chucky. He outlined how the team attempted to instill advanced thinking rather than spoon-feed solutions:

“We want them to think in a way of Counter-Strike that is more advanced than what they had before … we try to make them autonomous.” 

He highlighted that Brooxsy is emotional but enormously talented when given space, and that Djoko, himself, and NBK surround him as experienced anchors. 

NBK also emphasized camaraderie:

“The human aspect matters a lot more than just playing the game … doing it together and being a group together.” 

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Tourney Performance & Narrow Exit

The Elimination vs Passion UA

GenOne’s final match came against Passion UA, in a closely fought series decided in overtime. NBK spoke about moments where they lost momentum:

“On Ancient, we start 9-3 T side. Then in CT, we start being very chaotic … there’s a lot of inexperience in the team.” 
“We practiced for ten days… maps like Inferno we barely practiced, we played it once, so we YOLO’d it — and it worked out sometimes.” 

He admitted frustration in hindsight: some rounds should have been closed out early. They lost a 3v1 in overtime, which stung. 

Still, NBK emphasized they did what they could with limited prep and a newly formed squad. They “played tight” against tougher opposition, and he considers the performance a success under the circumstances. 

Individual Performance & Mindset

Over 14 maps played, NBK averaged a rating of 1.00 for the event. 

He said his drive to continue is simple:

“I love this game way too much … I’ve been doing it for 15 years, half of my life … whether it’s good or bad.” 

He admits he gets frustrated — he once hurt his wrist during a match, a physical reaction to emotional intensity. But he’s aware of the balance needed:

“It doesn’t matter what LAN it is … what matters is winning … having that drive, which can be a double-edged sword.” 

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Broader Significance & Takeaways

Rebuilding Credibility

NBK’s reputation preceded him. Having spent years in top teams, he’s now repositioning himself through leadership, mentoring, and consistency. This run helps substantiate his value beyond just name recognition.

Proof That LANs Still Matter

The fact that GenOne managed wins in three Best-of-3 series — with a roster mostly unfamiliar — reinforces one truth: in CS2, LAN performances carry enormous weight. Online brilliance alone is not enough. NBK bets that strong LANs will help their VRS (Visa Roster System) standing and open doors to bigger events.

Blueprint for Future Growth

Key elements NBK will lean on going forward:

• Sharpen practice focus across all maps (especially the weaker ones)

• Cement chemistry between young talents and veterans

• Maintain emotional intensity, but temper it with consistency

• Use LAN momentum to keep confidence high

If they follow that blueprint, NBK believes GenOne “can go much further.”