85-year-old gamer and TikTok star Butch Wendt received a PlayStation 5 for his birthday in a viral video. Sony’s PS5 console has been notoriously tough to come across in its first two years on the market, and, as prices for the system are raised overseas, consumer concerns could quickly translate to increased console rarity in North America. Plus, online scalpers continue to curtail the average player’s chance of snagging the system. That said, these qualms needn’t trouble the Wendt, who recently received Sony’s latest home console as a birthday gift.
In a clip originally posted in mid-June, Wendt is seen unwrapping the present with a wholesome look of near-incredulity. Previously a PS4 player, he appeared to be overjoyed at the prospect of upgrading to next-generation hardware and subsequently posed for a pretty heartwarming picture. Hilariously enough, Wendt seemed to be a bit confused by the PS5’s large side panels—as were many when the system was first revealed.
Though the account is presumably run by a grandson or granddaughter, Butch Wendt is the face of the popular Grandpa Butch TikTok profile, and he’s been in dozens of viral videos before, some amassing well in excess of one million views. In fact, a submission published in late May which showcases Wendt playing 2017’s Call of Duty WWII earned over six million views, and another in August accrued just under seven million. More recent uploads show Butch engaging in combat in Call of Duty: Vanguard’s single-player campaign.
Of late, there seems to be quite a bit of attention being paid to older people jumping into the gaming space. Not long ago, a disabled veteran Redditor who described themselves as a “56-year-old lady who has never played video games” blew up on the site after asking for some game recommendations. There’s also the Shirley Curry—sometimes known as “Skyrim Grandma”—who has earned over one million subscribers on YouTube with her endearing adventures through the Bethesda title’s titular high fantasy land.
Hopefully, Butch will make the jump to the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 when that title releases in October, though some PlayStation fans fear that the franchise’s time on Sony hardware may be coming to a close. Xbox proprietor Microsoft is in the process of acquiring Call of Duty publisher Activision, meaning that the series could become exclusive to Xbox consoles in the future. Still, Butch doesn’t appear to be concerned in the slightest; there’s plenty of fun to be had on the PlayStation 5, regardless.