60yo mother logs 8,000 hours in Counter-Strike, becomes esports star after opposing son's gaming
A 60-year-old Chinese woman who once hauled her son out of internet cafes now plays Counter-Strike seven to eight hours a day and livestreams to more than 400,000 followers.
Zhong Juanjuan, a 60-year-old mother from Meizhou in southern Guangdong, has put in over 8,000 hours into the first-person shooter game Counter-Strike since taking it up at the age of 54, according to Beijing News. Her younger son, Suo De, initially tried to stop her from playing late at night, but she persisted. Suo De started frequenting internet cafes as a teenager in 2002, often struggling in school and leading Zhong to intervene and drag him home.
In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the family to stay indoors, Suo De, now unemployed, began playing Counter-Strike daily. Zhong, who had previously dismissed gaming as an excuse for avoiding studies, was persuaded to teach her son by his request. Initially struggling with the game, Zhong received help from her son, who adjusted the mouse sensitivity and helped her learn the rules.
Her journey led her to livestream her gameplay on Bilibili and later Douyin, reaching over 400,000 followers by March 2024. Her skills improved significantly, allowing her to break 150 targets in 36 seconds, a feat five seconds faster than her son. A pivotal moment came in December 2024 when she was invited to an online exhibition match against professional players, including the young Russian player, Danil "donk" Kryshkovets.
In a dramatic display, Zhong shot Kryshkovets and his teammate, Dmitry "sh1ro" Sokolov, in the same round, capturing the attention of Chinese social media. Despite facing skepticism and accusations of using cheat software or having an accomplice, Zhong's mother has earned ten times more income than before gaming, becoming the family's top earner in 2025.
She has traveled to esports events in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, challenging the notion that the elderly should merely entertain grandchildren or perform in public squares. Zhong expressed pride in using her brain and improving hand speed through gaming, stating that it is far better than sitting idle.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress International's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
