"Grandma Got Game" – Senior Gamer Competes At Her First League Of Legends Tournament
"Even my grandma can play better than you," is no longer an insult, it's a fact.
While most grandmas would probably tell you to shut off your violent game and go touch some grass, 65-year-old Chiang Yi-Shu is likelier to check your strats, move you over, and show you how it's really done
For context, Chiang happens to be a member of Hungkuang Evergreen Gaming's team, established just this year and founded by Huang Jianji, director of the department of multimedia game development and application at Hungkuang University in Taiwan.
On Saturday, 17 December, Chiang and her fellow elderly esports players, whose ages range from 62 to 69, tested their mettle for the first time at a League of Legends tournament held at the same university.
Image via AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng
Image via AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng
However, it wasn't always this way for Taiwan's favourite gaming grandma, who had to start from zero to reach hero status
"Frankly speaking, I knew very little about computers. I never thought of learning about it, because I prefer interactions with people," Chiang told AP News.
"But when I started to play, I figured out that it was good for the brain. And especially the use of hands, you need to have dexterity."
Her claims certainly go against conventional belief amongst the elderly that playing games "rots your brain", showing how Chiang isn't your typical grandma.
Image via AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng
Image via AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng
As a testament to her dedication, she would travel from her home in New Taipei City to the university located in Taichung, which takes an hour by high speed rail, specifically for the weekly training classes
According to Chiang's coach, Ego Hsu, there is a key difference in their training, as the main objective is for Chiang and her teammates to enjoy themselves.
"When they play a game, I would make them enjoy it instead of killing their characters all the time. I think that having the character killed all the time would make them depressed," she said.
Image via AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng
Image via AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng
Sadly, Chiang's team did not win Saturday's tournament.
But on a wholesome note, Chiang said that her newfound gaming habit helped her to overcome her ignorance of technology.
"It's not painstaking, but one must have the determination to do it, such as 'I don't want to lose. I have lived for some time now, and I should not let this beat me'," she declared triumphantly.
"And I overcame."
Hold your head up high, queen, don't let your crown slip.
Image via AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng
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