Malaysian team of seniors wins Counter-Strike 2 e-sports contest in Singapore
The contest was Asia’s first offline international senior e-sports tournament.
In a thrilling climax at Asia's inaugural senior e-sports tournament, Silver Showdown 2026, held on November 14 at Singapore's Suntec Convention Centre, a team of Malaysian seniors emerged victorious against Japan. Taking center stage was 52-year-old Nahar Johari, whose single-handed elimination of three opposing players sealed Malaysia's win.
The tournament, organized by the Singapore Cybersports & Online Gaming Association (SCOGA), Esports Academy, and Lions Befrienders, aimed to foster senior e-sports growth in the region, with participants aged 50 or above.
The winning Malaysian team, Old Guards, consisted of Jon Yap, Johan Sopiee, Johari, Linda Tee, and Trish Lim. Singapore's third-placed team, Golden Aces, comprised players aged 50 to 77, while Chinese Taipei and Japan entered the competition with less experience. Japan's representative, Yuko Yamamoto at 75, and Johari played remotely due to health concerns.
The Malaysian team's members initially discovered their passion for gaming through the 2024 reality show Boomers2Gamers, which selected 298 applicants aged over 50 for Malaysia's inaugural senior e-sports team. Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei's team, backed by the Chinese Taipei Esports Association and Cheng Shiu University, had around three months of Counter-Strike 2 experience.
Organizers hope the event will encourage more partnerships to promote senior e-sports, with SCOGA planning additional competitions. Senior e-sports events have gained traction worldwide, with the first Senior Counter-Strike World Cup held in Sweden in 2019 and the International Senior League hosting online Counter-Strike 2 competitions for players aged 50 and above since 2023.
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