By Sagar V. Mankar 
A heated debate has emerged in the gaming community after Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s gaming abilities came under question. The controversy began when popular Twitch streamer Zach Hoyt, known online as Asmongold, raised doubts about Musk’s claimed achievements in the video game “Path of Exile 2.”
The Heart of the Controversy
The dispute centers around Musk’s claim of reaching level 97 in the game’s hardcore mode and ranking 12th on the leaderboard—a feat that requires immense skill and dedication, as players only get one life before their character is permanently lost. Achieving this would demand countless hours of focused gameplay, something seemingly unlikely for someone managing multiple major companies.
However, when Musk recently streamed himself playing the game, his gameplay raised eyebrows in the gaming community. A prominent streamer and YouTuber, Quintin Crawford (Quin69TV), analyzed the footage in his video titled “Elon Musk is Lying About Being Good at Video Games.”
- Leaving behind valuable loot that experienced players would typically collect.
- Making illogical inventory management decisions.
- Using peculiar character builds and ignoring powerful weapons, suggesting a limited understanding of the game mechanics.
“Two weeks into the league, when people are playing the game—literally staying up 40 to 50 hours without sleeping, only playing Path of Exile—the highest-ranked player in the Hardcore trade league was level 93,” Quin69 explained.
Asmongold Gets Involved
Amid the controversy, Asmongold created a reaction video titled “Elon Musk is not getting away with this…” suggesting that Musk might be paying others to play and level up his account.
While Hoyt did not present direct evidence, he echoed Quin69’s point about the extreme time commitment required—time that would be scarce for someone managing Tesla, SpaceX, and X. Hoyt also remarked that Musk didn’t need to pretend to be an elite gamer to earn respect from the gaming community.
In response, Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend himself, claiming he had participated in streams “with the world’s best players” and criticizing Hoyt’s gaming abilities.
Musk further humorously addressed the issue when someone asked him about the controversy, stating that “the Chinese driver of my Path of Exile account is named Elon Ma, and he is amazing! I rely on him for everything.”
Elon Musk denies having a Chinese grinder for his Path of Exile 2 account by deflecting into a joke involving his doppelgänger Elo Ma.
pic.twitter.com/FxvfDNpSD7— Steam Trader (@SteamTrader) January 15, 2025
The situation escalated further when Musk leaked private messages between himself and Hoyt, implying the streamer “has to ask his boss for permission before he can do anything.” However, X’s Community Notes feature later clarified that the individuals Musk referred to were actually Hoyt’s editors, not his bosses.
Hoyt described Musk’s comments as unnecessary and called the leak of their messages “absolutely uncalled for.”
However, that doesn’t stop Musk to showoff his skill. He later posted a video about playing Path of Exile 2 on a plane using Starlink.
Path of Exile 2, Arbiter of Ash.
Played over @Starlink in an airplane.
Starlink is so good that you can play real-time video games while airborne! pic.twitter.com/DEpRJYfU6y
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 17, 2024
A Pattern of Gaming Claims
This isn’t the first time Musk flaunted his gaming skills online. He previously claimed to be one of the world’s top players in “Diablo IV” and posted a world-record speedrun on one of the game’s most difficult levels.
🚨ELON MUSK ON VIDEO GAMES
“I’m in the top 20 in the world in Diablo IV. I’m listed with my actual name on the list. There’s only two Americans in the top 20, and I’m one of them.”
“If I play a video game on extreme difficulty, I have to concentrate fully on the game and it has… pic.twitter.com/I8EWbN3L3r
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) November 4, 2024
He has also stated he was among the best players of “Quake,” a 1990s first-person shooter game. Despite these claims, many gamers question whether Musk truly has the time and skill to reach elite levels in these games.
Nevertheless, Musk’s love for video games cannot be denied. He developed his own game, Blastar, at the age of 12 and has often described gaming as a way to relax and clear his mind. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography on Musk, the Tesla Cybertruck’s futuristic design was partly inspired by vehicles from video games like Halo and Cyberpunk 2077. His ex-partner, musician Grimes, revealed that video games were Musk’s only hobby, though she added, “He takes those so seriously that it gets very intense.”
Critics, however, argue that Musk’s claims of being a top gamer might be more about bolstering his public image than reflecting actual skill. What are your thoughts on it, let us know in the comments.