Elon Musk’s admission to paying for account boosting in Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 has sparked controversy, prompting questions about the integrity of these games and the response from their developers. Screenshots of a private conversation revealed Musk’s use of account boosting, a violation of both games' terms of service that involves paying others to level up accounts. This practice, prohibited by Blizzard’s EULA, allows players to artificially inflate their rank.
Following the revelation, both Blizzard Entertainment and Grinding Gear Games declined to comment on whether they would ban Musk’s accounts. This silence has fueled criticism from players who feel the lack of action undermines the fairness of the games. Forum posts express disappointment and concern over the apparent double standard, questioning whether the rules apply equally to all players regardless of wealth or status.
Musk, who has previously boasted about his gaming skills and high rankings in both games, attributed his account boosting to the need to compete with Asian players. He clarified that while he plays the games himself during streams and videos, the high-level achievements were facilitated by others. This explanation, however, hasn’t appeased critics who point to inconsistencies in his gameplay and the sheer time commitment required to reach such high levels alongside his other responsibilities. Further allegations surfaced suggesting his character was active in Path of Exile 2 while he was attending the Trump inauguration in Washington.
Musk’s former partner, Grimes, defended him on Twitter, claiming to have witnessed his gaming prowess firsthand. Despite this, the controversy continues, highlighting the tension between competitive gaming, the use of real-money transactions, and the enforcement of game rules.
