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

Elon Musk's admission to paying for account boosting in Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2 has sparked controversy, with fans questioning the integrity of the games and demanding action from developers Blizzard Entertainment and Grinding Gear Games. Screenshots of a private conversation reveal Musk's confession to using account boosting, a violation of both games' terms of service that involves paying others to level up accounts. This practice, often referred to as power-leveling, allows players to artificially inflate their rank and progress.

Following the revelation, online forums erupted with players demanding Blizzard and Grinding Gear Games ban Musk's accounts. Both companies have declined to comment on individual player actions or enforcement. One Path of Exile player expressed disappointment, stating the lack of a ban undermines the game's credibility regarding real money trading (RMT) enforcement. Similar concerns were voiced on Battle.net, with players questioning the fairness of allowing such blatant rule-breaking.

Musk has previously boasted about his gaming skills, claiming a top 20 global ranking in Diablo 4 and possessing a high-level Path of Exile 2 character (since deceased). However, his gaming prowess has been questioned, with critics citing his limited time and apparent lack of understanding of game mechanics. A livestream showing Musk struggling with endgame content further fueled suspicions of account boosting.

A video released by Diablo player NikoWrex shows a direct message exchange where Musk admits to boosting, claiming it was necessary to compete with Asian players. He clarified that while his gameplay videos and streams are genuine, the high-level accounts were achieved through the assistance of others. Musk also questioned the need for an apology.

Adding to the controversy, Musk's former partner, Grimes, defended him on Twitter, claiming to have witnessed his gaming achievements in other titles. Further allegations surfaced when Musk's Path of Exile 2 character was logged in while he was attending the Trump inauguration in Washington. The situation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding account boosting and the challenges game developers face in enforcing their terms of service against high-profile individuals.