Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and CEO of multiple companies, has long claimed to be a world-class video game player. He has a profile on X, his social media platform, dedicated to posting highlights of his gameplay and has streamed with top competitive video game players on platforms like Twitch. However, last week, the gaming community turned against him after a livestream of Mr.
Musk playing “Path of Exile 2,” a popular action role-playing game known for its difficulty. Despite his account showing he had earned one of the game’s highest levels, his gameplay looked like that of an amateur. Internet sleuths dissected his gameplay, exposing mistakes a novice would make.
Other gamers pointed out that Mr. Musk’s Path of Exile account had been active at times he couldn’t have been playing himself, such as during President Trump’s inauguration. The incident has caused many gamers to question the authenticity of Mr.
Musk’s gaming prowess and whether he is as accomplished a player as he claims to be. Both Blizzard Entertainment, developer of Diablo 4, and Grinding Gear Games, developer of Path of Exile 2, have declined to say whether they plan to ban accounts belonging to Musk after he reportedly admitted to cheating.
Musk’s gameplay scrutinized by community
Some fans have accused the developers of undermining the integrity of their games by not enforcing their terms of service. Musk has frequently claimed to be an expert gamer, even mentioning that he uses video games to unwind. However, players have questioned his ability to dedicate the time required to reach high levels in these games, given his numerous business commitments.
Further skepticism arose when players noted Musk’s apparent lack of understanding of game mechanics. In a direct message conversation with a Diablo player, Musk admitted to account boosting, insisting it was the only way to compete with players in Asia. Amid the cheating allegations, Musk’s ex-girlfriend and Canadian musician Grimes has come forward to defend him.
She stated, “Just for my personal pride, I would like to state that the father of my children was the first American druid in Diablo to clear the Abattoir of Zir and ended that season as best in the USA. He was also ranking highly in Polytopia, and beat Felix himself at the game. I did observe these things with my own eyes.
There are other witnesses who can verify this.”
In response to her defense, Musk thanked Grimes on social media. However, the allegations and subsequent defense continue to fuel discussions within the gaming community about authenticity and fair play.
Noah Nguyen is a multi-talented developer who brings a unique perspective to his craft. Initially a creative writing professor, he turned to Dev work for the ability to work remotely. He now lives in Seattle, spending time hiking and drinking craft beer with his fiancee.
