Elon Musk and his gaming case, the story of video game cheating by one of the most influential people in the world!
Elon Musk is undoubtedly one of the most prominent figures in today’s technological and social world. The founder and chief executive of Tesla, SpaceX and other major companies has had a profound impact on the development of technology, global business and now, more recently, politics.
Alongside these monumental activities, it would seem that his video game scandal is a minor episode. Yet this “trivial” affair is a very interesting look at the way Musk is shaping his public image – and his willingness to deceive even when nothing fundamental is at stake.
How did it all begin?
Musk has repeatedly presented himself in recent years as an excellent player of certain popular video games. Some of his favourite titles include Diablo IV, Path of Exile 2 and Elden Ring. During an interview with Joe Rogan, whose podcast is one of the most listened to in the world, Musk boasted that he was one of only two Americans to be among the top 20 players in the world in Diablo IV. Such an achievement, he said, requires extremely good reflexes and manual dexterity, much like in older games like StarCraft or Quake, where he said he also excelled.
At first glance, it might have seemed like another achievement of a charismatic visionary who “can do anything he puts his hands on”. However, the gaming community soon began to question how Musk could have achieved such a high level of success while running several companies, raising 12 children and regularly posting on social network X (formerly Twitter), which he also owns.
Suspicion of fraud
The turning point was Musk’s playthrough of Path of Exile 2’s hardcore mode, where he managed to reach an unusually high level and obtain extremely rare items in a very short time. Streamer Quin69 pointed out that to make such progress would require playing 14 to 15 hours a day, which is difficult for the average gamer, let alone someone with Musk’s work commitments.
This brought to the forefront the issue of so-called boosting, which means that a player pays someone to play for them and upgrade their game account. This practice is considered dishonest in most video games, and arouses strong resentment in the gaming community.
When an elite player can’t play
The final nail in the coffin of Musk’s gaming image came when the billionaire livestreamed his gameplay of Path of Exile 2. During the broadcast, it was revealed that Musk was not even proficient in the basic mechanics of the game. He lacked awareness of how to use items effectively, couldn’t manipulate the map properly, played without mana several times, and even didn’t understand why he couldn’t collect more items when his inventory was full.
These mistakes immediately sparked ridicule from players on social media. After all, at a high level of play, mistakes like this are as unthinkable as a professional Formula 1 driver not knowing whether he has a manual or automatic transmission.
Musk’s stiff resistance
Instead of humbly admitting a mistake or humorously lightening the situation, Musk reacted harshly. On X, he attacked popular streamer Asmongold, who criticized him and offered to switch to the X platform if Musk could prove that he had achieved his successes without boosting. Musk accused Asmongold of not being independent and having to “ask his boss for permission”. However, this comment was based on a misunderstanding of the common streaming practice where streamers hire video editors to devote time to broadcasting.
Later, Musk de facto admitted that his gaming achievements were not achieved honestly. In a conversation with gamer NikoWrex, he admitted that he uses boosting because otherwise “you don’t have a chance to beat players from Asia who do it too”.
Why does it matter?
At first glance, this case may seem like an insignificant one. In a world of billion-dollar investments, space programs and political decisions, Musk’s gaming escapades could easily be overlooked. Yet this episode is important because it reveals Musk’s approach to deceiving the public.
While sharing misinformation on X can be explained by various strategic reasons, cheating in video games has no real benefit – Musk could gain nothing but the admiration of a small group of fans here. Yet he chose to pretend to be an elite gamer, and even defended this false image strongly when he was convicted.
Questions for the future
This story raises fundamental questions. If Musk is deceptive even where nothing fundamental is at stake, how credible is he on issues that have a real impact on society, the economy and politics? And is it possible that he will use similar techniques of manipulation in his political role alongside Donald Trump?
The case shows that Musk’s image as a genius geek who excels at everything he touches is not as unshakable as it might seem. And this seemingly insignificant episode may be an important warning to those who consider him a flawless visionary and a role model worthy of emulation.
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