Elon Musk’s admission to paying for account boosting in Diablo IV and Path of Exile 2 has sparked controversy, with fans questioning the integrity of the games and demanding action from developers Blizzard Entertainment and Grinding Gear Games. Screenshots of a private conversation revealed Musk’s confession to using account boosting, a violation of both games’ terms of service. This practice involves paying others to level up accounts, effectively cheating the system.
Following the revelation, both Blizzard and Grinding Gear Games declined to comment on whether Musk’s accounts would be banned, citing policies against discussing individual player actions. This silence has fueled outrage among players, particularly those who believe that Musk’s wealth and influence should not exempt him from the consequences of breaking the rules. Forum posts on both games’ official sites express disappointment and concern that the developers are not enforcing their terms of service consistently.
Musk, who has previously boasted about his gaming skills and high rankings, claimed account boosting was necessary to compete with Asian players. He later clarified that while he streams and posts gameplay videos himself, the high-level characters were achieved through account boosting. This admission came after earlier criticism questioning his ability to achieve such high levels given his demanding work schedule. A livestream showing him struggling with basic game mechanics further fueled suspicion.
The musician Grimes, Musk’s former partner, defended him on Twitter, claiming to have witnessed his gaming prowess firsthand. However, further allegations surfaced when Musk’s Path of Exile 2 character was reportedly active while he was in Washington D.C. attending Donald Trump’s inauguration. The situation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding account boosting, real money trading (RMT), and the fairness of competitive online gaming.
