Japanese esports association Care has held a Tekken 8 tournament exclusively for senior citizens, with a 92-year-old competitor taking first place.
Eight players — all aged 65 or older — competed in the final bracket after advancing through regional qualifiers held in Aichi, Gifu and Mie prefectures. The tournament was won by Hisako Sakai, aged 92, who claimed the championship title after a series of one-on-one matches.
Senior Competition in Esports
Care is a Mie Prefecture-based organisation that aims to ‘create an environment in which the elderly can casually participate in esports.’ According to its official website, the association uses competitive gaming as a way to support well-being and encourage active lifestyles among older adults.
The group first began hosting esports tournaments in 2019, initially focusing on traditional board games such as Shogi and Reversi. Those early events were presented with full broadcast production, including live commentary, replicating the structure of professional esports competitions.
Tekken 8 was introduced earlier this year during Care’s 11th tournament, marking a shift towards modern fighting games. The latest edition, held in November, continued with Bandai Namco’s flagship fighting title.
The final tournament featured the event’s oldest participant, Reiko Yokota, aged 95, who played using Jun Kazama. Also competing was Ryōe Murabe, the previous tournament’s champion and a Panda user, who was eliminated in the opening round by Kinuko Watanabe playing Alisa Bosconovitch.
Sakai progressed through the bracket using Claudio Serafino, defeating several players considered among the tournament favourites. She beat Sadayuki Kato, an Armor King player, in the semifinals before securing the title with a finals victory over Gorō Sugiyama, who played Lili.
Care currently hosts its tournaments twice a year across Mie, Aichi and Gifu. According to Game*Spark, the association is aiming to expand the initiative further, with plans to hold a nationwide tournament in the future.