Paris (AFP)

A young European League of Legends champion, Karmine Corp has established itself in record time as the new sensation in French and European esport.

Driven by the fervor and the communicative passion of "Kameto" and "Prime", its founders, as well as the unwavering support of its supporters, the team landed in the world of video game competitions, winning in a few months all that 'she could win.

At the beginning of May, barely five weeks after winning the national title, the young French team won with panache at the European Masters, the second continental division of League of Legends, thanks to its victory (3-1) in the final against the British from BT Excel.

A consecration for the Karmine Corp, created only a year ago by Kamel "Kameto" Kebir, 25, and Amine "Prime" Mekri, 28, two streamers and influencers, stars of Twitch and YouTube.

To this sporting success, was added an incredible popular success, which reached an unprecedented level in French esport.

"The arrival of KCorp has changed things a lot", summarizes Fabien Culié, alias "Chips", reference commentator of League of legends (Lol for insiders).

- Audience record -

The idea of ​​building an esports team had been germinating in Kameto and Prime's minds for about two years.

"We really wanted to feel represented, to do our thing", explains to AFP Kameto, himself a former professional player of Lol, an extremely popular video game which is played five against five where the objective is to destroy the fortress. of his opponent.

"We have been consuming esports for a long time, we know what makes us happy and we try to reproduce it on a large scale," adds Prime, both "gamer", singer and jack-of-all-trades.

Composition of the staff, recruitment of players, search for sponsors ... Despite a modest budget, the Karmine Corp is launched in 2020. Kamel becomes the thinking head of the competitive part while Amine manages the business side.

The team then starts in the second division of the French Lol Championship.

From the start, the "KCorp" adventure aroused enthusiasm.

Very followed on Twitch and on Youtube with between them two nearly 2.5 million subscribers, the two leaders immediately succeed in creating massive fervor around their team.

The EU Masters final thus broke all audience records for esports in France.

Over 300,000 people gathered on the competition's broadcaster "OTP Lol" Twitch to follow the exploits of players Adam, Saken, Targamas, Cinkrof and xMatty, and social media were taken by storm. , self-proclaimed "ultras".

- "Dynasty" -

"All of France from Youtube and Twitch followed the meeting," says Fabien Culié.

"It's a bit confusing. To have this level of enthusiasm and involvement of the supporters, there is not too much equivalent. It's pretty crazy what happened."

To understand the reasons for such a "hype", just watch a KCorp game commented live by Kameto, who conveys his excitement at every meeting of his team.

"We comment with passion, we scream, we give everything. Suddenly people feel it. Even those who did not know League of Legends let themselves be carried away by the wave," he summarizes.

What's next for Karmine Corp?

Continue to develop the club to make it an "institution" of esports, says Prime.

"We have to structure the team in depth so that the players have everything they need to perform. And then it's sport, so we have to perpetuate our domination and create a real dynasty," said -he.

The ambition "in the medium term" would be to integrate the LEC, the European elite of League of legends, a kind of closed Super League, inaccessible for the moment.

"We first want to conquer France thoroughly," says Kameto.

"And once that's done, we'll try to go and see Europe, and once that's done, we'll go see the world. And once that's done" ... "It will be the intergalactic legion ! ", continues Prime.

© 2021 AFP