Elon Musk candidly acknowledges his penchant for gaming trickery
In the realm of video gaming, Elon Musk's skills were under scrutiny for quite some time. YouTubers, major German media outlets, and millions of viewers worldwide held discussions about whether Musk, famed for his gaming prowess, had paid others to boost his performance. Recently, the Tesla CEO addressed these allegations, shedding light on the situation.
The controversy started when prominent YouTuber "NikoWrex" exposed private conversations with Musk, granting him permission to do so. In these messages, Musk admitted to allowing others to play on his accounts, elevating his in-game level and purchasing resources with real money. This practice is known as account boosting or sharing, and it's forbidden in the game, leading to penalties like fines or account suspension.
Yet, Musk maintained that he never intended to take credit for someone else's abilities. He clarified that he had only ever streamed or recorded his gameplay, never claiming sole responsibility for his achievements. Despite his explanation, critics remain unconvinced.
Twitch streamer "Asmongold" questioned the reasoning behind Musk's actions, revealing widespread belief among viewers that he had been playing the game himself. In fact, multi-million viewed videos support this notion. On the other hand, streamer Quinn "Quin69" Crawford contested Musk's claim that account sharing is essential to succeed in the game. He asserts that players at the top rankings typically stream their gameplay, thereby making cheating challenging due to existing video records.
Following the initial accusations, Musk jumped into the fray, criticizing influencers who pointed out inconsistencies in his livestreams. He responded by removing a blue verification tick from one of the streamers, unfollowing him, and publishing private messages to discredit the streamer. After facing widespread backlash, Musk withdrew the images.
The game mode in which Musk was allegedly carried to a high rank is known as "Hardcore Mode." In this mode, once a character dies, it goes permanently, necessitating a fresh start. Musk has not yet addressed whether he was operating the account himself or someone else was.
Enrichment Insights:
- Musk admitted to account boosting in both "Path of Exile 2" and "Diablo IV," a controversial practice.
- The gaming community viewed his actions as unethical and inconsistent with fair play.
- Influencers like Quin69TV and Hasan Piker accused Musk of cheating, while Grimes and Asmongold expressed varying opinions.
[1] Dan Schneider, "Elon Musk Accused of Cheating on Path of Exile 2 – Myth Busting," YouTuber Game Grumps, 14 Dec. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5RLJEw4D0.[2] Quin69TV, "Elon Musk vs Me and Asmongold," YouTuber Quin69TV, 16 Dec. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LgkLS7c1Q4.[3] "Elon Musk Accused of Cheating in Path of Exile: We Test His Claims," Eurogamer, 15 Dec. 2021, https://www.eurogamer.net/elon-musk-accused-of-cheating-in-path-of-exile-we-test-his-claims.[4] Chidiebere Onyemaizi, "Elon Musk, Asmongold, and the Grind Crusade," VICE News, 18 Dec. 2021, https://www.vice.com/en/article/pvx5am/elon-musk-asmongold-the-grind-crusade.[5] Grimes, "Living with Elon Musk," Twitter, 4 Feb. 2020, https://twitter.com/Grimezsz/status/1223406239240812544.
Despite Elon Musk's clarifications, the allegations of using video game account boosting services to elevate his in-game level persist. In response, multiple influencers in the gaming community, such as Asmongold and Quin69TV, have voiced their opinions on the matter.