Musk's Diablo 4, PoE 2 Account Boosting Ban Unclear

Elon Musk’s admission to paying for account boosting in Diablo IV 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.

Account boosting, or power-leveling, is strictly prohibited, as Blizzard’s EULA explicitly states. Following Musk’s admission, online forums erupted with player concerns. Path of Exile players voiced disappointment over Grinding Gear Games’ lack of response, questioning whether the company prioritizes free publicity over enforcing its rules against real-money trading (RMT). Similar concerns were raised on Battle.net, with Diablo IV players demanding Musk's account be banned for his admitted violation.

Both Grinding Gear Games and Blizzard Entertainment declined to comment on individual player accounts or enforcement actions when contacted by IGN.

Musk, who has previously boasted about his gaming prowess and high rankings in both games, now faces scrutiny. His claims of being a top Diablo IV player and possessing a high-level Path of Exile 2 character have been challenged, with some questioning whether his busy schedule allowed for the extensive playtime required. A livestream further fueled these doubts, showing a lack of understanding of game mechanics.

A video released by Diablo player NikoWrex revealed a direct message exchange with Musk, where Musk admitted to account boosting, citing the competitiveness of Asian players as his justification. He clarified that while his livestreams are 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 skill in other titles.

Further allegations surfaced when Musk’s Path of Exile 2 character was detected as active while he was attending the Trump inauguration in Washington. The situation highlights the ongoing debate surrounding account boosting and the challenge of maintaining fairness and integrity in online games.