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Interview Florian « Gombertois » Roubaud, EVA player and Captain for Vitality

Evalunna (Vitality)

Welcome and thank you for accepting this interview, can you introduce yourself and your team briefly?

Hi, Florian "Gombertois" ROUBAUD, captain of the Vitality team competing in Pro League on the EVA game. I'm also a project manager in my day job at a software company for sports clubs, campsites, and festivals.

Tell us about your role and your daily life in the EVA scene.

I'm the team captain, a fairly versatile player, and IGL (in-game leader). I announce game plans during matches and provide maximum information to my team so we're as tactically sound as possible.

What sets EVA apart from other video games?

EVA can't be practiced from home, so we first need to meet up at our facility in Marseille. There's also a physical aspect that's completely different from traditional video games. We have to warm up with our matches and training sessions, and we all have to work physically to perform at our best. Fatigue affects our clarity especially during high-intensity game moments.

In your opinion, what qualities should future players have if they want to go pro?

Whether it's any sport or video game, to be pro you need to be serious and committed. Put all possible means into working harder than your competitors. Work accounts for 60% of level, 20% comes down to talent, and the rest is current form, luck, etc. On EVA you need to work individually but also put yourself at the service of the team, respect game plans, and have good game vision to adapt to whatever happens on the map.

What do you think about the recent push to promote the scene?

It gives visibility to the scene but especially it will professionalize the field and give more credibility to our game. Now it's up to us to show a good image of our game and continue efforts to make the public want to watch our scene.

Do you have a funny or memorable anecdote as a player?

It's a game where each team has their own spawn. I've already seen players in the heat of action forget which side their spawn was on and put themselves in a defensive position toward their own spawn.

Do you think age is a factor for going pro in a game?

No, some young players can have the maturity needed to be pro. They can also bring positive energy and a fresh vision of the game. The same goes the other way around!

If you could change one thing about how young players are trained in esports, what would it be?

Individual play remains way too much in the spotlight in my opinion, when teamwork always comes first over individual performance. But young players' role models are often star players highlighted by their individual stats.

What made you want to get into esports?

I started esports on games like Call of Duty and Fifa. I was actually a professional player on Fifa. And I discovered the pro scene on EVA a few years later. I'm a competitor, so for every game or sport I play, I seek out competition, so esports was a natural choice for me.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to make it as a professional player?

To give yourself the means to succeed. That means seeing what's done at the highest level, taking inspiration, but using your personal qualities to highlight your strengths combined with what's done at the highest level.

What's the difference between a regular EVA player and a player who's a team captain like you?

As Captain I have to set an example for my teammates, have a certain rigor, and above all gain the trust of my teammates because I'm the IGL. If I don't show that what I announce tactically works, I'll lose their trust and our team will inevitably be less solid because they'll doubt my involvement and my choices. I think I give off a fairly serious and rigorous image and I always put the team first over individual play. My goal is to bring the team to victory. I still give freedom of expression in-game to teammates who are capable of making a difference because we need that too. I try to put everyone in the best frame of mind, and I know my teammates inside out. This allows me to know how to express myself with each one because not everyone has the same personality and not everyone has the same qualities.

Outside of esports, what other games or activities do you enjoy and how do they contribute to your balance?

I was a captain in football for many years. But I don't do any other sports activities besides EVA at this point. I play video games like CS, Call of Duty, Rocket League, League of Legends.

What did you do before EVA?

Work + nights out with friends + video games + time with my girlfriend

To be pro, how many hours per day does a player need to play?

On EVA it's different because we don't have unlimited access, but I'd say 6 to 10 hours per week plus tactical work on Discord and other tools about 10 hours per week as well.

What's your favorite game outside of EVA and why?

Right now I'd say Counter Strike for everything that game represents in the tactical aspect of an FPS.

Who's your role model among professional players, someone you'd love to shake hands with?

Apex from Vitality CS

What's your favorite weapon and why?

Westfire. It's a weapon that can be played as support for your team, positioned back, but also a weapon that can make huge differences if you master it very well because it one-shots in the head.

What would you improve in EVA esports if you were in charge tomorrow?

A more balanced meta that emphasizes team play over individual performances. Best-of-5 instead of Best-of-3 to really deliver great matches, and maybe faster turnaround between matches because 2 weeks between each match is quite long.

Your favorite season and map on EVA?

Season 6

Outlaw!

Is a physical routine necessary to play EVA?

Yes, on my end I run and work on my cardio to have maximum clarity during our matches. Between each season we take a short break and we directly see we're lacking rhythm after a few maps.

A final message for the fans?

Form your own opinion on EVA by testing it with your friends at the closest facility near you. We've all dreamed of being the main character in our favorite video game. After that you'll understand the game better on the streams. Thanks anyway for your support 🙏

esport, Gombertois, EVA, Vitality

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