You’re never too old to learn a new trick.
As the saying goes, “age is just a number,” and no one proves this more than Lola Carmen Taqueban. Also known as Lola Gaming, the 74-year-old streamer and gamer who delights her audience with her upbeat attitude on and off the game.
Lola Carmen found her way to the Shooting Gallery studios to watch the opening games of the MPL PH. She was kind enough to give the media her time to tell her story of how she wound up in the world of Mobile Legends.
For her, it all started during the pandemic. She was with her grandkids during the lockdown and she noticed that they were all playing on their phones. “Syempre, naiinip ako sa bahay. Hindi ako pinapalabas dahil sa pandemic… kaya sinubukan kong maglaro [Mobile Legends].”
In a previous interview, Lola Carmen said that she really didn’t know what to do when she started playing. She just pressed buttons on her screen and she was even dying to minions, the basic enemy of the game. “Sabi ng mga apo ko, ‘sige lola, matututo ka rin diyan.’” Still, she was enjoying herself and when her grandkids noticed that she was regularly playing, they decided to stream her playing on Facebook.
“‘Lola! May nanonood sayo sa Facebook!’” exclaimed one of her grandkids. “Ha, talaga?” was Lola Carmen’s reply. She couldn’t believe it at first but now she very much enjoys the opportunity to meet and entertain people through her streams.
Streaming as a Senior
Today, the Lola Gaming Facebook page has 148K followers and is streaming under the Amplify banner. Their parent company is Tier One Entertainment, which also handles the Philippines’ very own Blacklist International esports team. They are one of the biggest names in gaming and esports in Southeast Asia, so it’s safe to say that Lola Carmen’s stream is doing well for itself.
When asked how long her streams usually last, Lola Carmen smiled and said that she used to stream for eight hours, much to the dismay of her grandchildren. “Noon, sinesermonan ko ang mga apo ko… Ngayon ako na ang sinesermon!” she said with a chuckle. “Sabi nila, ‘lola, tama na, yung mata niyo…’” Now she only streams for two to three hours but she tries to do so regularly. Streaming genuinely makes her happy and it keeps her active, which she says is a very good thing for someone her age.
As for toxic players, Lola Carmen tries to not let their vitriol get to her. As a streamer, she knows that she can influence her viewers so she remains calm and patient to set a good example for the community. She even playfully reminds her younger viewers to stop watching her and focus on their studies from time to time.
Before leaving, Lola Carmen thanked her viewers and Moonton Games for bringing her much joy in her life. She wants to continue streaming as long as she’s able and she’s always grateful to the people who take the time out of their day to watch her play.
Banner photo by Keith Medrano/Moonton Games.
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