Playing video games is one of the most popular leisure activities worldwide. While often criticized for being detrimental, video games can actually benefit our mental health by improving attention span, memory, and coordination, while also reducing anxiety. They can also boost physical health if we’re talking about active games. Video games are enjoyed by people of all ages, and we’re even talking about individuals as old as 91 years old, like the American gamer grandma who ignored a concerned call because she was busy trying to break her records.
Some people believe video games are just for kids, but that’s like telling someone they’re too old to read books or watch movies. If it’s a hobby you genuinely enjoy, you’ll likely pursue it throughout your life. Of course, as we get older, we tend to have more responsibilities and might not be able to play as carefreely as before. However, that shouldn’t mean abandoning them entirely, and there are even cases of people who started playing video games when they were quite elderly.
91-Year-Old Gamer Grandma Ignores Daily Welfare Check-in Due to Playing Video Games
The majority of video game players are older than you think. An estimation from mid-2025 revealed that the average age was 41 years old. While young people certainly play, it’s adults who are more deeply involved in the gaming scene, partly because buying PCs, consoles, and games isn’t exactly cheap. What we didn’t expect was to see a 91-year-old grandmother so immersed in playing video games that she ignored the daily phone calls checking on her well-being.
The police were unaware of this, of course. When they saw she wasn’t answering their calls and her daughter also couldn’t get in touch, they decided to visit the woman’s house. She didn’t open the door for them either, despite her car being parked outside. At the impressive age of 91, it turned out she was addicted to video games in her room, like any young person spending their free hours.
Grandmas Can Be Great Gamers Too; Last Year, a 92-Year-Old Won a Tekken 8 Tournament
When the police confirmed that the woman had simply been trying to beat her video game high score, they breathed a sigh of relief, realizing nothing had happened to her. She was doing great, and they couldn’t help but laugh at the situation, as explained by Jerry Vogel, the Westlake Police Captain. These calls are part of a program where residents of Westlake, Ohio, and surrounding areas can receive daily check-ins to ensure everything is alright.
Unfortunately, the name of the game was not mentioned, nor were there any images or videos, so we’ll never know what the 91-year-old grandmother was dedicating her time to. What we can confirm is that there are more gamer grandmas out there at this age; in Japan, a 92-year-old player was the winner of a Tekken 8 tournament held at the end of 2025.
