Abbe ‘DieHardBirdie’ Drakborg, a 78 year old professional Counter Strike: Global Offensive player, and a member of the senior CSGO team Silver Snipers is a striking example that when it comes to gaming, age is no factor.
The love for Counter Strike: Global Offensive, the revered esports title knows no boundaries. From from young to old, from casual to professional, the game is one of the most popular FPS titles of today.
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However, the most incredible case in point has to be Swedish gamer Abbe Drakborg. Going by the nickname ‘DieHardBirdie’, Borg is a 78 year old senior CSGO world champion, currently associated with Silver Snipers, a team of seniors based in Sweden. They had won the CSGO Senior League tournament at DreamHack last year, with the youngest member of the team aging 64 year old back then.
Following the DreamHack triumph, Drakborg decided to retire from esports, and started his own Twitch channel.
“I stream my game on Twitch because I like to leave something behind after my life, for the next generation,” Drakborg spoke to PC Gamer, “If someone tells me you have to stop playing, that’s impossible for me.”
“You can never be too old to play video games. Age is just a number,” he added.
Abbe ‘DieHardBirdie’ Drakborg: A torchbearer of anti-ageism and anti-sexism movements in esports
The retired professional is a regular Twitch streamer now, but DieHardBirdie’s ambitions go way beyond. The veteran, together with Rumble Gaming Inc. have decided to take a stand against the prevalence of ageism and sexism in the esports scene, and to break the stereotype that only the younger generation is tech savvy or into gaming.
“Respect is earned and not given,” DieHardBirdie said in a recent interview, “I am sad and disappointed to hear about these allegations and I stand with the community in making sure that the gaming industry is a safe haven for everyone.”
“I commend those involved for their bravery and hope that these movements will have a great impact not only on the gaming community but on other industries as well.”
“As a veteran gamer, playing in my 70s, I believe that age has no bearing when it comes to esports. We should celebrate the wisdom gained from years of experience instead of criticizing it,” the evergreen gamer added.
Evan Kubes, the president of Rumble Gaming also worded in on DieHardBirdie’s mission of equality in the world of esports.
“Harassment in any form is never acceptable. Neither is gender discrimination and age prejudice. We are one with the gaming community and denounce these despicable acts directed at our gaming professionals,” Kubes said.
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