He took up competitive gaming after retiring. Then he retired again—with a championship.

Retirement is a time to take it easy, but Swedish gamer Abbe “DieHardBirdie” Borg is doing things a little differently. Since retiring, he has created a completely new life in his golden years through competitive video gaming. At 75, Borg started playing the shooting game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). He joined a team called the Silver Snipers, made up of fellow players all over 65. At 78, he became the world champion after winning the DreamHack 2019 competition with the Silver Snipers. At the time, Borg shared, “At 78 years old, I may be a bit older than most, but it’s never too late to learn something new. We do not know what might happen, but you might end up winning a championship or become a world-famous esports gamer.” Now on a team called the Golden Snipers, he continues to game at 83. Gaming after retirement Before he retired, Borg was a professional artist for 50 years. He also did some modeling. “Before gaming, I was a commercial model for years—the senior face in Scandinavian ads,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “Then a mouse replaced the camera, and I became a world champion instead.” “I was in some commercials in Sweden,” Borg told USA Today in 2021. “That’s how Lenovo found me. Their first question was if I was interested in playing games—esports games. And I said, ‘Alright. I’m curious. I’ll do it if they will.’” His gaming nickname, “DieHardBirdie,” developed from his skills as “a virtuoso of bird calls and bird sounds.” Continuing to hone his gaming skills after his world championship, he joined the streaming platform Twitch in 2020. “I stream my game on Twitch because I like to leave something behind after my life, for the next generation,” he told PC Gamer. “[I]f someone tells me you have to stop playing, that’s impossible for me.” Positive benefits of gaming and aging Borg explained that being a gamer at an older age has come with many positives. One especially bright spot has been inspiring other retirees to start gaming to connect with younger generations. “I hope more elderly people will be watching esports and try to play,” he told USA Today. “We need to wake up their spirits, and ask them to find some guts to try and play, to find some support from their family, their children and grandchildren.” Additionally, Borg added that playing video games has benefited his physical and cognitive health. “This game helps me. My fingers go very fast now. I used to have pain in my fingers, but that’s no more,” he told the publication. “My coordination between my hands and eyes is very good. My reflexes are faster than ever. I feel good. And I find after playing, I’m not tired. It’s not about winning and losing. But this game helps me.” Borg also credits staying healthy at 83 to his consistent routine: “People ask how I keep my hands fast and my head clear at 83. Sleep. Movement. Practice every day. And the same 5 vitamins every morning — a simple routine, never skipped,” he wrote on LinkedIn. “That routine became my DHB vitamins. Healthy aging is not luck. It is a routine you keep.” “I still play about 4 hours a day. Age did not slow me down—it made me patient, and patience wins games,” he added.