Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 Devs Won’t Say Whether They’ll Ban Elon Musk for Account Boosting

Both Blizzard Entertainment and Grinding Gear Games have remained tight-lipped about whether they will take action against Elon Musk's accounts following his reported admission of cheating in their respective games, Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2. Screenshots of a private conversation between Musk and a YouTuber surfaced, revealing that the billionaire had paid for account boosting in these action RPGs, a practice that violates the terms of service of most live service video games.

Account boosting, where a player hires someone else to log into their account and elevate their rank, is explicitly prohibited under Blizzard's end user license agreement. Despite this, neither Blizzard nor Grinding Gear Games have confirmed any plans to ban Musk's accounts, leading to a wave of criticism from fans who feel the integrity of the games is being compromised.

On the official forums of Path of Exile and Battle.net, players expressed their disappointment and frustration. One Path of Exile player questioned the enforcement of the game's terms of service, particularly in relation to real money trading (RMT), while a Diablo 4 player asked why Musk should be exempt from the rules.

When approached by IGN for comment, both companies declined to discuss individual player account behaviors or any potential enforcements. This silence has only fueled further debate among the gaming community.

Musk has previously boasted about his gaming achievements, claiming to be among the top players in Diablo 4 and having a hardcore level 97 character in Path of Exile 2, which has since died. He has cited gaming as a way to "quiet my mind" amid his busy schedule running Tesla, SpaceX, X/Twitter, and his recent role as Donald Trump's efficiency tsar.

However, skepticism about Musk's gaming prowess grew, especially after a January livestream where he struggled with basic game mechanics in Path of Exile 2. The direct message conversation revealed by NikoWrex confirmed that Musk had indeed used account boosting services, arguing it was necessary to compete with Asian players.

Despite the controversy, Musk maintained that any gameplay showcased in his videos or streams was genuinely his own. He also clarified that he never claimed credit for the high-level achievements of his boosted accounts and questioned the need for an apology.

In defense of Musk, musician Grimes, with whom he shares three children, vouched for his gaming skills, citing his achievements in Diablo and other games she witnessed firsthand.

Further allegations emerged when Musk's Path of Exile 2 character was active during his attendance at Donald Trump's inauguration, raising more questions about the legitimacy of his gaming accomplishments.

Elon Musk has reportedly admitted to cheating in Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2. Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson - Pool/Getty Images.