Interview de Kellian « Zaybux » Fernandez, EVA Player for Vitality
Welcome and thank you for accepting this interview, can you introduce yourself and your team briefly?
Kellian "Zaybux" Fernandez, 23 years old. I discovered the game in 2021 in Toulouse and was immediately integrated into TLS for 3 and a half years. In 2025, I headed to Marseille to join Hunty, before being recruited in 2026 by our current manager at Vitality, Jason. Today, the roster is made up of 5 players: Shoto, our shield prospect from Nîmes, and a trio of former BK ROG players (Gombertois, Hyyperio, and Mikadono).
You're considered the most versatile player on the team. What does that concretely mean day to day? Do you prepare differently based on matches and opponents?
For me, versatility means being able to do absolutely everything. I can switch from a sniper to a Westfire, or from a Warden to a pump depending on the situation. Day to day, this means adapting my playstyle to immediate needs: I can switch from a line-holder role to an objective player profile, even if my strength remains lurking. It also demands a lot of game reading: you need to know each opponent's openings to create surprise by creating unexpected timings, whether through an unexpected push or an unusual positioning.
What sets EVA apart from other video games?
In a traditional video game, you can play as much as you want because the physical impact is minimal. On our side with EVA, the situation is different: you can't chain hours indefinitely. We move a huge amount in the arena, which requires excellent physical condition. Our bodies have to keep up with the pace, and this forces us to optimize our training to the maximum to be as efficient as possible.
In your opinion, what qualities should future players have if they want to go pro?
To hope to become pro, it's necessary to develop good endurance, agility and explosiveness, but also great attention capacity, excellent muscle memory and good overall coordination. But beyond all that, the most important thing remains passion.
What do you think about the recent push to promote the scene?
The circuit's evolution is incredible. Seeing 8 professional structures of such caliber arrive brings huge credibility to EVA and validates all the work accomplished. In parallel, the prize pool is gradually increasing, which is professionalizing the scene and allowing us to nurture real hopes of eventually being able to live fully from our passion. Plus, the European expansion is an excellent initiative: it allows us to connect as many facilities as possible and raise the overall level of competition. Whether it's LL to EPL, we're living an exciting season.
As a pioneer of the EVA scene around Toulouse, you've seen the game evolve from the beginning. What's the most memorable memory from that time when everything was being built?
Without hesitation, the unlimited Battle Pass. It was incredible!
Do you think age is a factor for going pro in a game?
In my opinion, age is indeed a factor, particularly on micro-details like reaction speed or pressure management. However, whether you're 16 or 28, I don't think it's a barrier. Younger players might bring a bit more explosiveness and pure reflexes, while more mature players bring experience, composure and better game reading. On EVA, the combination of both profiles is what makes a team strong.
If you could change one thing about how young players are trained in esports, what would it be?
If I could change one thing, it would be the importance placed on physical preparation and lifestyle from a young age. In esports, and even more so on EVA, you can't perform sustainably if your body isn't following. Too many young people think that just chaining hours of gameplay is enough to progress. I'd rather teach them to optimize their practice time, to incorporate sports, good nutrition and a proper sleep schedule. In short, to behave like true athletes from the start to avoid burnout or injuries.
What made you want to get into esports?
Like many young people, I grew up with video games, and it's a habit I still keep a bit in parallel today. Over the years, the pleasure of playing transformed into a genuine passion. When I discovered EVA, the spark was immediate: the fact of being able to physically embody, in reality, that character I'd controlled on screen throughout my youth was incredible. Since I'm someone who's viscerally competitive, the combination of that immersion and the adrenaline of competition naturally pushed me to fully commit to esports.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to make it as a professional player?
As I mentioned earlier, you first need to acquire the qualities of a complete athlete: endurance, coordination, and above all, overflowing passion. But to take it to the next level and really make it, raw talent isn't enough. My main advice is to structure your training: you need to work intelligently in parallel, analyze each of your own matches to spot your mistakes, and watch as many competitive matches as possible.
Versatility is a rare quality, but it can also mean you don't have a fixed role. How do you find your place on a team when you can do everything?
It's not always easy because it requires putting your ego aside and bending to the team's needs. I find my place by adapting in real-time to what we're missing at any given moment to win. If a teammate is struggling or an opponent's strategy is blocking us, it's up to me to switch roles or weapons to rebalance things. But for that to work, it requires impeccable coordination and communication from all players. Everyone needs to know what I'm doing so the team stays fluid.
Do you have a funny or memorable anecdote as a player?
I've developed a bit of a weird reflex over time. Now, when I watch a replay or play a traditional FPS on screen, I tend to do a head movement behind my screen to dodge bullets...
What did you do before EVA?
Before launching into EVA, I was already very active on the competitive Apex Legends scene. I wasn't a professional player yet, but I was competing in the amateur circuit and community tournaments. I already had that taste for competition and FPS games, which really helped me transition to virtual reality.
You're one of the pioneers of the EVA scene. Where were you coming from before, and what convinced you to bet on this game from the start?
As I mentioned, I came from the competitive amateur Apex Legends scene. What convinced me to bet on EVA from the start in 2021 was seeing the future of FPS. Going from a keyboard or controller to a 500 m² arena where it's your own body that aims, runs and dodges was a revolution. I immediately understood that the game was breaking down the barriers of traditional gaming and that the sporting dimension would attract a passionate audience. The bet was risky back then, but seeing where we are today in 2026 with structures like Vitality proves it was the right choice.
What's your favorite game outside of EVA and why?
Without hesitation, Apex Legends. I love the speed and nervousness of the gameplay mixed with the Battle Royale FPS format. It's a game where you constantly have to think and analyze the situation in real-time to get through. And most importantly, the end-game moments have incredible intensity: the slightest mistake costs you dearly, and that's exactly the adrenaline I'm looking for.
Who's your role model among professional players, someone you'd love to shake hands with?
I'd love to shake hands with ApEX or ZywOo. But if I have to stay true to my roots, I'd say ImperialHal on Apex. This guy has game reading and reaction speed that's out of this world. Talking to him about how he manages his team under the stress of end-game moments would be incredible.
You excel at movement and can be as discreet as anyone, but you can also be very aggressive. What's your signature weapon to embody that unique style?
With my role, I actually don't have just one signature weapon. Even though I very often have the Warden in my hands, my versatility means my secondary weapon can constantly change: I switch from an M12 to a Striker or Spectre depending on the situation. In the same way, I can drop the Warden to switch to a Sniper or Westfire. It's this unlimited arsenal choice that lets me stay unpredictable, discrete, then ultra-aggressive the next second.
What would you improve in EVA esports if you were in charge tomorrow?
If I were in charge, the absolute priority would be developing a true interactive 2D Demo Viewer, with a dynamic minimap similar to what's done on the Counter-Strike scene (like analysis tools at SCL). It's the work tool that's missing today for effectively analyzing our timings, our lines and our placement mistakes. In parallel, we'd absolutely need to improve and enrich the spectator mode. Whether for coaches analyzing live or being able to move around while analyzing our matches. These two features would take EVA esports to another dimension.
Your favorite season and map on EVA?
For me, the current season is clearly the best. If I had to pick maps, it would be Polaris and Horizon. These are my favorite maps right now.
Is a physical routine necessary to play EVA?
Yes, 100%. For me, we're getting close to the routine of a traditional athlete. In the arena, you chain accelerations, flexions, head hits. You absolutely need to prepare your joints (knees, wrists, back and neck) before each match. Having good overall physical condition is what allows you to maintain the same aiming precision at the first minute as at the last hour of a tournament.
A final message for the fans?
A huge thank you to everyone for your daily support. It's an enormous source of pride to represent the Hive and wear these colors on the EVA scene. Your messages and your energy push us to exceed ourselves at every training session and every match. We keep working hard to bring the trophies home, so stay connected, the best is yet to come! #VForVictory