Elon Musk Admits to Cheating in Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2, Sparks Controversy Over Account Boosting

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and owner of X (formerly Twitter), has recently admitted to cheating in two popular action RPGs, Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2, raising questions about the integrity of the games and the enforcement of their terms of service. Musk reportedly confessed to paying for account boosting, a form of cheating where a third party plays on a player’s account to artificially increase their rank or progress. This is a direct violation of the terms of service for both Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo 4 and Grinding Gear Games’ Path of Exile 2, which explicitly forbid such practices.

The controversy started when Musk was caught in a direct message conversation with a Diablo player, where he confirmed that he had paid for account boosting in both games. Musk defended his actions, claiming that competing against players in Asia required such boosts, as they were reportedly much more aggressive in leveling up. He also stressed that when streaming or posting about his gaming experiences, those were genuinely his skills on display. "But when I post a video of a game or am streaming, that's 100% me," Musk stated. His admission has stirred up a storm, with many fans questioning the legitimacy of his in-game accomplishments, especially after he had boasted of being one of the top players in Diablo 4.

Despite the outrage from fans, neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Grinding Gear Games have commented publicly on the matter. When approached for a statement, both companies declined to address individual player behaviors or enforcement decisions regarding account boosting. This has left many fans wondering whether Musk’s actions will go unpunished, given his status and influence.

The issue has sparked widespread debate within the gaming communities of both titles. Fans on forums have expressed disappointment over the lack of a clear response from the developers, with some accusing them of undermining the integrity of their games by not taking action against Musk. One Path of Exile player posted on the official forums, stating, “Are billionaires allowed to buy their way to the top of the ladder without consequences? This is a huge blow to the credibility of RMT enforcement.”

Musk’s involvement with Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 had already raised suspicions due to his busy schedule as CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X/Twitter, leaving little time for him to play extensively. Many fans had speculated that his high rankings were a result of boosting, a theory that Musk’s own admission seems to confirm. Furthermore, Musk's Path of Exile 2 character was reportedly active in the game while he was in Washington, leading to further allegations of cheating.

Amid the backlash, Musk’s partner, musician Grimes, took to Twitter to defend him, stating that he was indeed the first American druid in Diablo 4 to clear a certain level and had even beaten Felix, a top player in Polytopia. While this defense has done little to quell the controversy, it shows that Musk’s gaming habits have garnered significant attention, both for the right and wrong reasons.

As the gaming community waits for a response from the developers, the case of Musk’s admitted cheating has brought the issue of account boosting to the forefront. It remains to be seen whether Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 will enforce their terms of service and take action against Musk, or if his actions will go unpunished due to his status as one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the tech world.