There is no age limit for playing video games. And Cath Bowie proves it. At 78 years old, this grandmother from Moray, in the north-east of Scotland, has just officially entered the Guinness World Records by becoming the oldest female “Fortnite” streamer on the planet. Known under the pseudonym grumpygran1948, she has nearly 24,000 subscribers on her Twitch channel.
A bet against his grandson’s skepticism
Introduced to the famous battle royale game from Epic Games in 2017 by her grandson, then 17 years old, Cath encountered the young man’s doubts. He was convinced that no one would watch a grandmother play online. She then decided to buy her own console to prove him wrong. “Telling me that was like waving a red rag in front of a bull. I wanted to prove to him that I was capable of it,” she told the BBC.
Nine years later, the victory is complete: “24,000 subscribers later, he no longer talks about it. I wonder why,” she laughs. Beyond the competition, it is the human aspect and the challenge that motivate Cath to play on a daily basis: “I love the community. I like talking to people. I chat all the time and love the general atmosphere. I love the challenge it gives me and I’m afraid I’ll play it every day,” confides the gamer granny.
“Never let anyone tell you that you are too old.”
“At Guinness World Records, we believe that video games are accessible to everyone. This edition highlights gamers from different generations and cultures from around the world,” said Alice Bell, editor of “Guinness World Records Gamer’s Edition 2027”, saluting Cath Bowie’s journey. The latter concludes with advice: “Never let anyone tell you that you are too old. You’re never too old to start playing. Go for it!”
