A 60-year-old woman in southern China has become a popular e-game live-streamer, gaining a large following on social media. Zhong Juanjuan, known online as Auntie Juan, started playing computer games six years ago and now attracts thousands of viewers to her live streams, reported the South China Morning Post.
Zhong lives in a suburban area of Meizhou in Guangdong province. She completed only primary school and worked in different part-time jobs, including sales and childcare. She retired about 10 years ago.
Her interest was surprising because gaming had once caused problems in her family. About two decades ago, her son became addicted to games while he was in secondary school, causing his grades to fall. Zhong often went to local internet cafes to find him and sometimes pulled him out by force.
Zhong's journey into gaming began in 2020 when she saw her son, Suode, spending long hours playing games at home after quitting his job. Wanting to understand the appeal, she decided to step into the virtual world herself.
Suode was surprised when his mother became interested in gaming, but he patiently taught her how to play.
At first, Zhong found the games difficult. Her vision was declining and her reaction time was slower. Suode said she initially struggled to move straight in the game, turned around after hitting walls and had trouble climbing stairs.
However, Zhong refused to give up and continued practising. She began live-streaming her gaming sessions in 2022. Viewers were surprised to see her playing very well despite using basic equipment.
Zhong has played more than 8,000 hours of games and mainly plays shooting games.
Zhong gained wider attention in December 2024 when she was invited to an online exhibition match for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
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