When it comes to eSports, like traditional sports, most players usually have a hard time playing past their prime. When it comes to eSports, that prime is around 21-22 years old, as reflexes begin to wilt in the years following. In CS:GO, however, one team has set out to prove that stereotype wrong, and that team is Virtus.Pro.

The current roster of the VP squad have been together since January of 2014 and have signed yet another four-year contract in late 2016, showing that they recognize the virtues of a solid and united roster. When it comes to experience, this five man killing machine, aptly nicknamed Virtus. Plow by the fans for their seemingly unstoppable nature at times, consists of some of the most experienced players still active in the scene.

Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas

The in-game leader of VP, Wiktor “TaZ” Wojtas has over 16 years of experience under his belt, being followed by rifler Filip “NEO” Kubski. Not only does this amount of experience set him ages above newer players but it also shows that with enough practice and dedication, you can still remain a top player and even beat some of the newer and less experienced players, as VP proved by making it to the finals of the ELEAGUE Major. This fact also helps further set apart eSports from traditional sports, where athletes retire at around 30-35 years due to body wear, something cannot be prevented, unlike the reflex loss in eSports.

Forced into retirement

Another question is, where will these players go once old age sets in and they are forced to retire? They could of course get normal jobs and become a regular part of society, or they could get involved in the behind-the-scenes part of eSports. Take Emil “HeatoN” Christensen, widely considered to be one of the best Counter-Strike players of all time. After retiring from active play in 2006, HeatoN became a team manager. While originally managing the Championship Gaming Series franchise team Stockholm Magnetik, HeatoN moved on to manage his old team, Ninjas in Pyjamas, where he remains to this day.

Other players, like the Danish Danny “zonic” Sorensen, became coach after retiring from play in 2012. Initially coaching Team Dignitas, zonic is one of the people who helped take Astralis to the finals of the ELEAGUE Major, where they took 1st place against Virtus.Pro. Retired NiP player Robin “Fifflaren” Johansson became a part-time caster upon his retirement in 2014 as well as a casual player for the ESEA Main team Anonymous5.

All in all, eSports have a lot of paths to be taken by anyone interested. From active player to manager, coach, owner or even caster, you’re never out of the game unless you choose to be. With such a wide variety of choices, it is no wonder over a million people tuned in to watch the recent ELEAGUE Major, with those numbers looking to skyrocket through the roof in the near future as eSports takes over the mainstream world of traditional sports in both viewers and interest.