Recent revelations about Elon Musk, the world's richest man and owner of X/Twitter, have sparked controversy in the gaming community. Screenshots of a private conversation with a YouTuber showed Musk admitting to paying for account boosting in the action RPGs Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2. Account boosting, a form of cheating where one player logs into another's account to elevate their rank, is explicitly prohibited under the terms of service of most live service video games, including Blizzard Entertainment's end user license agreement.
Following Musk's admission, both Blizzard Entertainment, the developer of Diablo 4, and Grinding Gear Games, the developer of Path of Exile 2, have been questioned about potential account bans for Musk. However, both companies have declined to comment on whether they plan to enforce their terms of service against Musk.
The gaming community has expressed frustration and disappointment over the situation. On the Path of Exile official forums, a player voiced concerns about the integrity of the game, questioning whether the terms of service are being enforced, especially in light of Musk's open violation. Similarly, on Battle.net, players have asked why Musk's account has not been banned, emphasizing that no one should be above the rules.
When contacted by IGN, Grinding Gear Games and Blizzard Entertainment both declined to provide statements, with Blizzard noting that they do not comment on individual player account behaviors or enforcements.
Musk has previously boasted about his gaming achievements, claiming to be among the top players in Diablo 4 and having a high-level character in Path of Exile 2. He has stated that gaming helps him relax and cope with stress. However, his gaming prowess came under scrutiny as players questioned how he could achieve such high levels given his busy schedule managing Tesla, SpaceX, X/Twitter, and his role in Donald Trump's administration.
The controversy intensified when a video by the Diablo player NikoWrex surfaced, showing Musk admitting to account boosting. Musk justified his actions by claiming it was necessary to compete with players in Asia, who he said also engage in similar practices. Despite this, Musk clarified that when he streams or posts gameplay videos, it is genuinely him playing.
In defense of Musk, musician Grimes, who shares three children with him, tweeted about witnessing his gaming achievements firsthand, including being the first American druid to clear a significant challenge in Diablo 4 and ranking highly in other games.
Further allegations emerged when Musk's Path of Exile 2 character was active during his attendance at Trump's inauguration, adding to the ongoing debate about the fairness and integrity of competitive gaming.
