“Twistzz May Be The MVP”

BLAST Premier Fall Finals is among the key occasions within the Counter-Strike calendar. For only a few days, the perfect of the perfect CS groups come collectively to battle it out. However there’s extra occurring right here than the gamers and groups. James Banks is a pillar of the CS group. Having been concerned with the sport since 2003, so there’s not a lot this man can’t inform you.

We received the possibility to briefly chat with Banks throughout day 3 of the BLAST Premier Fall Finals about CS2, rosters and his predictions for the remainder of the match.

Supply: BLAST / @heroicgg on X

How are you discovering the Fall Finals up to now?

Falls Finals is at all times good, it’s rather a lot for the primary two days. I feel 4 better of threes a day is definitely not simple however I nonetheless get pleasure from what I get to do. It’s extra enjoyable with all the storylines and the brand new groups and the adjustments and discovering out what’s taking place.

Clearly, the cadiaN/Heroic one and him rumored for Liquid however I’d say nearly 100% confirmed at this level. I simply requested him if he’d do World Finals. He stated he gained’t do World Finals with Heroic so that might imply that the signing is sort of there.

this new Cloud9 roster, very fascinating, very thrilling, even with out an AWPer. Wherever they go, I feel lots of people would like to see s1mple go there as a result of it brings again the previous Navi core. However yeah, up to now Fall Finals is sweet!

With all the adjustments not solely to the sport however to the rosters as properly, how do you put together as a bunch and an interviewer?

I play lots of Counter-Strike! I play rather a lot to grasp all the stuff that’s totally different and what’s altering.

For Heroic, clearly, there’s nothing actually I can do. You simply need to see how they carry out, watch it and base it off the video games. You’ll be able to see how their type is and the way their mindsets are coming into it.

Navi is one other fascinating one. W0nderful is one other Ukrainian AWPer and has the identical sensitivity as s1mple in recreation, which is simply humorous. He copies his settings however remains to be very totally different by way of how he approaches the sport. So simply watch a couple of demos and make some notes.

That is really simpler to arrange for than if I’m going into an occasion in 6 months time, the place issues are extra flattened out and even as a result of a number of the questions write themselves and I don’t have to have an excessive amount of of a mind.

And I assume on the subject of apparent questions, how are you discovering CS2 personally?

I like it, however I’ve a mindset of I hated CS:GO. Not as in, I beloved our recreation and every part it had but it surely wasn’t a recreation for me. I don’t like a technique smokes which I feel are, the best way to edit this properly, “bullsh*t”. For me, with a technique smokes, the purpose recreation is taken out of it and it’s about if you realize the trick. I like that this is a little more uncooked talent sided and I just like the taking pictures modes.

Clearly, they’re adjusting issues with how the fashions transfer round and stuff. However each day I’m again residence, I play CS2. I’m having fun with it a hell of much more and I’m most likely enjoying higher than I did in CS:GO so let’s attempt to maintain that going regardless of being older!

As a consultant of the CS group that everybody is aware of, how necessary is it to you to advertise the CS esports scene?

It’s every part. It’s like, I’ve finished different video games. I’ve finished Tekken, I’ve finished Avenue Fighter and PUBG as properly. However I’ve been enjoying Counter Strike since 2003, I’ve seen all of the variations develop and develop.

I’ve been requested to host different video games however I don’t like the sport, not as a result of it’s a foul recreation however as a result of it’s not the sport for me so I refuse the work. I’m in an opulent place the place I can do this as a result of I’m very fortunate that individuals need to rent me for Counter-Strike. However I’ve a place the place I can select what I need to do. I select Counter-Strike as a result of I like it and I nonetheless play it. Like I stated, after I go residence, I nonetheless need to play it and need to get higher.

For me, watching the event of it and Valve’s updates is nice. Sure, we all know the anti cheat is horrible proper now, they’re engaged on a repair for that. Richard Lewis made a video saying about what they’re attempting to do with this AI anti cheat, which is a lot better than the intrusive aspect that Riot makes use of. That is a lot better. Valve has been a sensible firm for a very long time. Sure, we’re not good however nonetheless so a lot better than when CS:GO first got here out.

After I first performed CS:GO, there’s a video on my YouTube channel nonetheless, I performed the beta at a conference centre on a Ps 4. The sport was constructed for consoles in addition to being on PC. That’s the place lots of points got here from. It was like, this isn’t the Counter-Strike I do know, that is extra like Name of Responsibility however then it advanced into the superb recreation it’s now.

CS2 is in a a lot better place, we’re simply extra essential due to how comfortable we had been about the place CS:GO was. Everytime you change variations, there’s at all times going to be push again. It’s unhappy to see the drop within the numbers of people that’re concurrently enjoying and it’s worrying as a result of in the event that they’re not enjoying Faceit, then they’re enjoying the conventional premier mode, which is stuffed with cheaters.

I’ve movies from my stream the place I used to be enjoying with Ukrainian participant Markeloff and we had two video games again to again towards purpose bots. We had been enjoying about 16k ELO and folks had been actively dishonest in that. Now we need to maintain enjoying however for those who’re a standard fan then they won’t come again in any respect. Valve must make some enhancements and hopefully they occur quickly sufficient as a result of I don’t need to maintain seeing the participant rely go down.

I imagine in Valve and while you take a look at a contest like this, there’s nonetheless a really excessive talent degree. It’s nonetheless thrilling and up to now, MR12 is figuring out very properly. Clearly, there are some economic system changes that have to occur however as we see it now, the groups nonetheless look their absolute best.

The very last thing I wished to ask about was some fast predictions for BLAST Fall Finals. The primary one is what number of video games do you suppose FaZe are going to play earlier than they drop a recreation?

I feel they’ll win right here in order that they’re not going to drop a recreation right here. Their subsequent occasion would be the World Finals so that is the place it’s fascinating. I’d be happier in the event that they lose a recreation right here with Twistzz than if he leaves for an additional staff, rumored to be Liquid, after which they lose a recreation as a result of they don’t have the primary roster.

I’d like to see them win right here and go together with the identical roster at Worlds, possibly they drop a recreation in teams after which come again. Then the streak is over however no less than they’d an excellent streak.

Finally, I respect Twistzz’s resolution. He seemingly made it again in CS:GO after they weren’t doing so properly however as a fan, I don’t need to see this roster go. It could be unhappy for the sport if we didn’t see this roster once more.

Who’s your prediction for MVP of this match? Lots of people have stated ropz however what do you suppose?

Ropz really hasn’t had too many large video games this match. Twistzz had only one dangerous map I feel however Twistzz if he goes laborious to do it. Firstly, I predicted FaZe vs. Vitality for the grand finals. There’s a world the place I see Cloud9 beating Vitality tomorrow. If Vitality are within the grand finals, Spinx is perhaps be one who does it. Even ZywOo. However finally, I feel Twistzz is perhaps the MVP. If it’s a final hurrah, then why not?

There are solely a few groups left who haven’t already certified to Worlds. Who do you suppose is gonna get the spot?

I don’t suppose any of the groups that have to qualify by profitable are going to face an opportunity at profitable. So it’ll come right down to factors and up to now, Cloud9 have gotten to semis. It comes right down to Cloud9 or Complexity from the World Rankings. So my opinion could be Cloud9, they’ve likelihood to beat Vitality however Complexity gained’t beat FaZe.