Twitch star Michael Grzesiek aka Shroud gave his opinions about the retirement age of esports pros stating that they could compete until they were 50 years old.
Shroud is known for his incredible FPS skills and battle royale games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Apex Legends, Escape from Tarkov, Valorant, and more as he is often recognized as one of the best “aimers”.
During his recent live broadcast, Shroud was asked as to what his thoughts about the age of an esports pro can play competitively.
While many pros and critics alike will argue that younger players often have faster reaction times, shroud believes that older esports pros can still maintain a successful career as he responds to the question stating; “Maybe 50 is your max. I truly believe that. If you were starting early, say 16/17 playing professionally and you played professionally until you were 50, you’re still going to be playing at a high level. Yeah sure, you could lose some reaction time. But I’m telling you, you will still be at that high level if you have that same passion, drive, and motivation to improve. You’ll still get there, you’ll still have it.”
It’s certainly an interesting take and one that is fairly refreshing, especially given how players’ ages are often brought up when discussing skill and experience. While an athlete’s reactions may naturally slow, shroud believes that dedication and hard work can still persevere. Another area shroud touched on was that an older esports pro would naturally have a wealth of game knowledge and experience. Regardless, the retirement age differs from player to player.