For ordinary gamers like us, reaching Gold rank is just one of the many milestones in the ranked mode of League of Legends. In fact, players in Iron, Bronze, or Silver—those who can’t even touch the Gold rank—are often deemed inferior, “noobs”, and “not worth considering”…
That said, achieving the Gold rank is not really a big deal for an ordinary player. However, for a 43-year-old League of Legends player who has a family to care for and the weight of work always on his shoulders, climbing to Gold rank is truly a remarkable feat, a well-deserved reward for the passion that knows no age.
This is exactly the story that has been widely shared on Reddit, as it was recounted by the “main character” with an attitude full of excitement and pride:
“I’m almost 43 years old, just reached Gold rank, and I have no one to share this with: I’m old but Gold.”
“I have been playing League of Legends for 9 years and have always had a modest dream. It’s not a grand dream by any means, but it’s now fulfilled.”
“When I still had an ELO rating, it was around 1200 (which I have never achieved). When the ranking system launched, I always wanted to climb to Gold rank. That’s where you can own a shiny border, change champion skins, and it’s also the milestone that allows you to proudly say that you are at least a decent player.”
“The problem is I’ve always felt overwhelmed. My mechanical skills have diminished significantly in my 40s. I also can’t play every day because I have to prioritize family and work. There are always too many things on the screen that require my attention. I even often confuse my character with my teammates’. I really can’t outplay anyone.”
“So what I do is play Top lane, mute chat, ward as far as possible, push towers whenever there’s a chance, and let the younger players carry me.”
“This afternoon, it finally happened. I played quite comfortably as Garen, while Draven next to me was taking out every opponent. When the game ended, I had climbed to Gold rank. I was completely ecstatic, but no one knows I play League of Legends. In fact, everyone I know would think I am just like a kid glued to video games at my age. But for me, this really means a lot.”
“So that’s it. And I’m pretty sure if I can do this, then any of you can too.”
The post by “Uncle Garen” has received over 1500 comments on Reddit, and what’s even more interesting is that many other gamers also revealed their own “ages”, and when they discovered that this thread was full of older folks, the other players could only express their admiration for the interests and passions of these elder gamers:
“I’m 42. League of Legends is an amazing game. The problem is, sometimes it can be a bit unbalanced, and lately I have been too tired of the toxicity of ranked players, but I just like playing ranked. I’m not saying it’s all my teammates’ fault; sometimes I have issues too, even when I’ve muted chat.”
“But in the end, it’s still a great game, fun, and you can always learn a lot.”
“My biggest fear in life is if my wife finds out that her husband has spent a ton of money on skin purchases in the game…”
“49 here, buddy. I also reached Gold last season thanks to some ranked games after work.”
“Congratulations!”
“A 39-year-old lady here, and I always feel kind of weird playing League of Legends because I know that the community of this game is mostly male, and most of them are even half my age.”
“Thank you for the post; it made me realize I’m not alone!”
“I’m 44, my friend, but I just dropped to Silver; that might be my rank for this season. With only 2-3 games a week, it’s hard to climb to Gold.”
“If this makes you feel better, I’m turning 53 in two weeks, and I also love playing League of Legends.”
“Enjoy it, and congratulations!”
It’s unclear whether the information shared by the Reddit accounts mentioned above is accurate or just a way for the community to send encouraging words and congratulations to the beloved uncle mentioned above, but one thing is for sure: our 43-year-old gamer is surely thrilled that his post has received so much attention and praise.
It’s evident that not only League of Legends but any game nowadays garners the attention of gamers of all ages. Therefore, encountering older individuals playing games is not unusual. However, nurturing a passion and enjoying gaming carefree, as these gamers do, even as they step into middle age, is indeed a heartwarming and delightful story.
