Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt has been confirmed as part of the official English-language broadcast team for the upcoming BLAST Open Lisbon tournament. The announcement, made on Tuesday by event organizers, marks the return of the experienced French player to the analyst desk after a long hiatus from casting.
This will be Schmitt’s first major broadcast appearance since 2019 when he briefly contributed as a guest commentator during the cs_summit series, all while competing with Vitality and OG. Now, he will take on an analyst role alongside BLAST regulars Jacob “Pimp” Winneche, Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg, and Donald “voo” Parkhurst.
The event will also feature Alex “Machine” Richardson and Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill, both of whom are set to return to a non-Major BLAST event for the first time since the 2021 Fall Final. Their presence adds to an already strong talent lineup, bringing together some of the most familiar voices in Counter-Strike commentary.
BLAST Open Lisbon is scheduled to run from March 19-30, featuring all of the world’s top 10 teams, according to HLTV and Valve rankings, competing for a $400,000 prize pool. The tournament will kick off in BLAST’s Copenhagen studio for the group stage before transitioning to Lisbon’s MEO Arena for the playoffs, where fans will witness the world’s elite teams battle for the trophy.
With NBK- stepping into a new role, his experience as a professional player will bring valuable insights to the analyst desk. Having competed at the highest level for over a decade and played for top-tier organizations, his deep understanding of strategy and in-game dynamics is expected to add a fresh perspective to the tournament coverage.
The full talent lineup for the event includes a mix of renowned casters and analysts. The commentary team will feature Mohan “launders” Govindasamy and Conner “Scrawny” Girvan from Canada, alongside Machine from the UK and SPUNJ from Australia. Meanwhile, the analyst desk will be hosted by Freya “Freya” Spiers and James “BanKs” Banks, with Pimp, Mauisnake, voo, and NBK- providing expert breakdowns of the action.
