[Exclusive] James Banks on the best transfer of 2025: “molodoy to FURIA”

During the final match of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Bo3.gg had an exclusive chat with one of the most recognizable voices in Counter-Strike — James “BanKs” Banks. The legendary host and interviewer, who has worked at dozens of top tournaments, from Majors to IEM Cologne and BLAST, spoke candidly about his journey in CS, moments of professional burnout, favorite interviews, and how the stage and live audience affect players.

You have been working in Counter-Strike for many years. At what point did you realize that being a host and interviewer was not just a job, but your true calling?

That’s a good and very specific question. I think I had to fail as a commentator first before I understood this was what I was meant to do. I always enjoyed interviews—I liked asking questions I personally found interesting and that I knew fans would care about. I was a fan first, so my questions naturally came from a fan’s perspective.

Hosting, on the other hand, happened a bit randomly, but interviewing always made sense to me. I enjoyed it from the beginning. The first times on stage were awkward, though—you don’t really know what you’re supposed to do. It’s very different from just interviewing players because there’s crowd interaction and so many other elements.

After Stockholm 2021, I remember thinking, “This is it. I want to do this.” Now it actually feels wrong if I attend an event and I’m not on stage.

What is your favorite interview you’ve ever done?

Probably a recent one. I run a podcast called All About Counter-Strike, and we had apEX scheduled through his agency. They told us we’d have two hours with him after practice. apEX can talk—and he remembers everything. The podcast ended up lasting over four hours.

It was incredible. I learned so much. Even though I know him pretty well, I still came away with new insights. That episode will definitely go down as one of my best ever.

Was there ever a moment in your career when you felt burned out? How did you overcome it?

Yes, I’ve been burned out before. I’ve even dealt with depression from doing too many events. This year was a bit strange—I had to undergo some medical procedures, which forced me to take about two months off. I missed a few events, but that time away really helped.

There were a couple of years when I did every single event, not just the big ones but also smaller tournaments. That was me being a bit stupid—I didn’t rest enough. Now, with the new schedule where both Majors finish before the break, it’s perfect. You give everything at the Major, then you actually get time to rest.

What is the best way for you to rest and calm down?

Being at home. We travel 180 to 200 days a year, sometimes even more, so I’m rarely in my own house. This might sound funny, but we just bought a new sofa. I’m genuinely excited to go home after this Major, sit on the sofa, watch TV with my wife, and relax.

I don’t need a big holiday or to go anywhere special. Just being in my own space, playing some Counter-Strike again—that’s perfect for me.

What is your favorite TV show or movie?

The Sopranos. It’s an older one, but if you haven’t watched it, you absolutely should. Anyone who says The Wire or Game of Thrones is better—I’m sorry, you’re wrong. The Sopranos is HBO’s best series ever. It’s unbeatable.

I love how realistic it feels. Of course there’s fiction, but the authenticity is incredible. Right now I’m also watching anime—Dragon Ball Daima, the new Dragon Ball series, and I recently saw the new Demon Slayer movie in the cinema. So I bounce between serious shows and anime.

If you compare yourself at the start of your esports journey and now, what is the biggest difference?

I don’t play as much anymore, and I don’t dream of being a pro player. I’m also not writing news or match reports anymore. The biggest difference is that I’m now on these huge stages—and when I started, those stages didn’t even exist.

As esports has grown, I’ve grown with it. I’ve just moved in the same direction as the scene, which is incredibly lucky. Being part of Counter-Strike’s growth has been a beautiful journey.

Do you still play Counter-Strike with professional players?

Sometimes, but not that often. I have some pros on my friends list and I can message them, but I don’t really see the point. I’m around level 9–10 on FACEIT. I don’t have that many hours in CS2—way more in 1.6.

I play with Michael, who’s an ex-pro, with Devilwalk—he’s a close friend—and with a bunch of others. Occasionally it’s random: I played with shox and Xizt not too long ago. Sometimes players like GeT_RiGhT invite you, but with current pros, I usually just let them focus on their job. I don’t want to be the guy going 3–20 and ruining their game.

If you had to choose one teammate to play with, who would it be?

Devilwalk, for sure. He’s completely selfless. He’ll do all the calling, all the tactics, throw the flashes, know every smoke, and just tell me what to do. I get to run in, entry, and have fun. I really enjoy that.

Have you ever avoided asking a question because you understood a player’s emotional state?

Yes. A good example is torsy. There were rumors about roster changes next year, and I asked many teams about 2026. But torsy was almost in tears during his interview, and I knew it wasn’t the right moment to ask.

Some people say you should never ask those questions, but that’s not true. Some players handle exit interviews very well, even after losing a Major. I always judge it based on feeling—what I see and what I sense in the moment.

Have you ever regretted a question you asked live on air?

Not really. Sometimes a player’s answer might make you feel a bit awkward afterward. For example, a player might say they already answered that elsewhere.

That’s why I now explain that just because it was answered in another interview doesn’t mean the broadcast audience saw it. Interviews are also about storytelling. Some questions may seem boring, but they help set up discussions for the analyst desk.

You always appear confident on stage. What is the hardest part of the job that viewers never see?

When something goes wrong. I have earpieces in both ears, so I can barely hear the outside noise. If audio fails or a signal drops, it’s incredibly stressful. Sometimes I have to pull one earpiece out just to manage levels. If that goes wrong and I strain my voice, it’s gone for the rest of the event.

Another tough moment is when a player suddenly can’t do the interview and someone else replaces them. If you prepared specifically for one person, that’s panic mode—but you have to adapt quickly.

How do you balance showmanship with respect for the competitive side of the game?

It depends on the player and the moment. Some players don’t care for showmanship at all. Others—like karrigan, apEX, or Aleksib—know when they can be serious and when they can have fun.

Sometimes things happen naturally. apEX might say something unexpected, and I’ll ask a follow-up knowing karrigan can handle it. With other players, I wouldn’t go there.

How important is a live audience at an event?

Extremely important. Live events are key for growth, sponsorships, and legitimacy. Fans get to feel the energy, meet players, attend signings, and experience everything in person.

If we ever lost that live aspect, it would be a huge negative for Counter-Strike. The fact that we can fill arenas shows how passionate and engaged the fans are.

How does a loud crowd affect players?

It depends on the player. Someone like apEX can hear anything and not care. Younger or less experienced players might get nervous. Even veterans can feel it.

It’s part of growth. You have to experience it to learn how to handle it.

What advice would you give to a pro player on handling stage pressure?

Some teams simulate crowd noise in practice, but no simulation guarantees anything. You just have to go through it. Focus on the screen, focus on the game.

My first time on stage was terrifying. But it gets better the more you do it.

Which tournaments of 2025 stood out the most to you?

Budapest is number one—this Major was unreal. Antwerp is the only one that comes close.

Hong Kong was amazing, Astana surprised me a lot, and Cologne was great too. Astana really shocked me with how much the country loves Counter-Strike.

Who is the most underrated player right now?

jabbi. People wanted him gone before this Major, even after Stage 1. Now he’s top-fragging in a Major final. That’s underrated.

What was the best transfer of 2025?

molodoy to FURIA.

If you left Counter-Strike tomorrow, what would you do next?

I’d stream and create content. I enjoy that anyway. But I’m not leaving anytime soon.

I don’t often get to be on this side of the interview. I hope you enjoyed the Major and the work I did this year. I’m excited for 2026—Cologne and Singapore Majors, stronger teams, and even better Counter-Strike.