After his retirement at 22, the new life of this former video game champion

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Under the pseudonym Alphama, Léo Robine faced the best players on the planet from the Rainbow Six licenseimmediately drawing the attention of the esports community to him.
It was a winding and pitfall-filled journey that Léo Robine, originally from La Ferrière-aux-Étangs (Orne), had to face.
This 24 year old young man has already lived the life that thousands of children today only dream of. For seven years, he embraced a passionate love with the world of video games.
A major player in the discipline, he turned professional from a very young age before retiring from the circuits at just 22 years old.
Today, he retraces the difficulties of his journey but also the stages of its reconversion.

An early passion for esports

It was at the age of 14 that Leo immersed himself in the world of esports, at a time when the first French professional players were launching game licenses like League of Legends or Counter-Strike.

In 2015, Ubisoft launches a new strategic shooter, Rainbow Six. Sensing the potential, Léo fully invested in it. “Ubisoft announced its intentions to make it an esports game. I was fully invested in it from the start,” he confides.

His journey is reminiscent of that of traditional athletes : climb the ladder, participate in amateur competitions, then join semi-professional teams. His talent and determination quickly propelled him.

After a remarkable performance during a tournament in Metz (Moselle), he was recruited by the Supremacy team. “The teams observe the semi-pro circuits to spot young talents,” he explains.

Prestigious world stages

With Supremacy, then other prestigious teams, Léo, aka Alphama, participates in all major Rainbow Six esports events.

From Jonkoping (Sweden), Milan (Italy), Montreal (Canada), Vegas (United States), Valencia (Spain), Raleigh (United States), Tokoname (Japan), he travels to the four corners of the globe.

At the time, I was surely the youngest French professional player to have participated in these events.

However, despite the sacrifices, it does not obtain the expected results. “You have to be extremely dedicated. I worked 60 to 70 hours a week, far from my family, and it didn’t always pay,” he admits.

The years marked by covid-19 will not help anything.

The fact of experiencing real emotions in tournaments, I lost all of that during the covid years.

The stages of its reconversion

After a year in the United States without obtaining good results, then a shortened season in Asia due to the pandemic, he decided to return to France.

I return to France, we start to rebuild the Fnatic team, and after two weeks, we are told that we are stopping. I took two or three tests, which were inconclusive. I play with the fear of losing more than the desire to win and I say to myself: the more it goes, the less it goes.

At just 22 years old and aware of the fleeting nature of a professional gaming career, Leo is thinking about retraining.

“It’s something I had in mind from the start. I knew very well that it was going to be short. I had started studying communications and marketing and wanted to work in this field, preferably in esports “, he explains.

Two plans are then available to him: return to his studies, or start working directly in the esports sector. With the nerve, he takes his chance, and it pays off. He managed to get hired as a creative at SPORT FIVE as a Marketing Manager.

In short, he thinks of campaigns in collaboration with brands on the subject of esports or even gaming.

At the same time, he contacted Ubisoft (the largest French video game development company) to offer them his services as a consultant on Rainbow Six competitions. Deal!

I find myself from nothing at all to a sort of double job.

Stay active in the environment he loves

Even though he left the competition, Léo never really gave up the game. Back in Caen (Calvados), he continues to make his contribution. Consultant for Ubisofthe participates in columns and live broadcasts.

“It’s hard to play video games for fun when it’s been your job. There was a pause but I quickly resumed. When you’re an analyst, you’re supposed to teach people how to play the game,” he explains.

To add: “The craziest thing I will ever find is the emotion when you are on stage. But I don’t regret none of my career choices ».

A lucid look at esports

Although he is aware of the challenges in the environment, he nevertheless warns against the sometimes misleading promises of esports.

“For me it’s a bit of a beautiful story but it’s not impossible. You can find ways to work within structures. It’s a matter of really giving yourself the means and having a back-up plan. You don’t have to give up everything to succeed, It’s always good to have a plan B “, he said.

Sometimes regretting “the emotion when you’re on stage” and “the very strong bonds with people you didn’t know before”, Léo harbors no bitterness about his career choices.

From now on, he aspires to “stay among the best commentators in the world” to continue to actively contribute to this environment that he particularly likes, esports.

For those who wish to follow him, his Twitch channel remains a privileged place: twitch.tv/rainbow6.

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