Elon Musk's alleged cheating in Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 has sparked controversy, with fans questioning the integrity of the games and the developers' response. Screenshots of a private conversation revealed Musk's admission to paying for account boosting, a violation of both games' terms of service.
Account boosting, where players pay others to level up their accounts, is a form of cheating widely prohibited in online games. Blizzard's EULA explicitly forbids this practice. Despite Musk's confession, both Blizzard and Grinding Gear Games (developers of Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 respectively) have refused to comment on whether they will ban his accounts.
This silence has fueled outrage among players. Forum posts express disappointment and concern that a billionaire can seemingly circumvent the rules. One Path of Exile player questioned the fairness and credibility of the game's real money trading (RMT) enforcement. Similar sentiments are echoed on Battle.net, with players demanding accountability.
Musk's previous boasts about his gaming skills, including a claim of being among the top 20 Diablo 4 players globally, have been called into question. His performance in a Path of Exile 2 livestream raised concerns about his actual gameplay ability, leading to speculation about account boosting. A direct message conversation with YouTuber NikoWrex confirmed Musk's use of account boosting, citing the difficulty of competing with Asian players as his justification. He clarified that while his streamed gameplay was genuine, his high-level character achievements were not solely his own.
Musk's ex-partner, Grimes, offered a defense, claiming to have witnessed his gaming prowess firsthand. However, further allegations surfaced, suggesting his Path of Exile 2 character was active while Musk was in Washington D.C. for Trump's inauguration. The situation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding cheating in online games and the challenges of enforcing fair play, particularly when high-profile individuals are involved.
