Earlier this month, Elon Musk livestreamed himself on X playing the action role-play game Path of Exile 2. For an hour and a half, the tech billionaire and close Donald Trump ally showcased his account and boasted his position as the 15th highest-ranked account on the game’s hardcore mode, known for its relentless difficulty.
It seemed like an impressive achievement, but gamers began to doubt Musk’s ownership of the account as the livestream continued. As pointed out in videos from popular Path of Exile 2 players, Musk’s technical skill and understanding of game mechanics were reminiscent of someone who had put just a few hours into the game, not the hundreds required to reach the level he was claiming.
The theory that Musk was “boosting” his account — paying others to level up the account for him — was further supported when the account was seen active on Inauguration Day morning as Musk, head of the newly established “Department of Government Efficiency,” sat in the U.S. Capitol to watch Trump’s swearing-in.
After arguing with skeptics online for days, Musk eventually admitted to boosting in private messages with gaming YouTuber Nicholas Hayes.
When asked if he had someone else play for his accounts, or if he had spent real money to purchase in-game gear and resources, Musk responded with a “100” emoji.
“It’s impossible to beat the players in Asia if you don’t, as they do!” Musk told Hayes last week. He added that he never claimed to take full credit for leveling up his characters and alleged all top accounts in these games have multiple people playing on them. It may be surprising that a person with such power and proximity to the president would care enough to flex his character level in a video game, but this isn’t the first time Musk has bragged about his gaming prowess. Beyond Path of Exile 2, Musk has said he’s a global top-20 player in the action RPG Diablo IV, shown off his — according to at least one gamer, “hilariously bad” — character build in the fantasy RPG Elden Ring, and even suggested he plans to start his own gaming studio to “make games great again.”
Lina Hassen
Lina Hassen is a page for MSNBC Digital.
Latest Post
Recommended
