Grimes Stands by Elon Musk: Defending His Gaming Prowess Amidst Criticism

Artist Grimes supported her billionaire former partner Elon Musk’s gaming abilities on Saturday in response to criticism from gaming influencers.

Newsweek has contacted Musk’s PR team at X, previously known as Twitter, through email for feedback.

The Background

Grimes, a 36-year-old Canadian musician whose given name is Claire Elise Boucher, was previously in a relationship with Musk, with whom she shares children X Æ A-XII, 4, Exa Dark Sideræl, 3, and Tau Techno Mechanicus, 2. The couple, who first sparked romance rumors in 2018, announced their separation in 2021—though they have since been embroiled in an intense custody dispute, each suing the other for parental rights.

As Musk, CEO of X, Tesla, and SpaceX, has increasingly made his mark on U.S. and international politics, gaming has prominently featured in his online persona. Musk has consistently labelled himself a passionate gamer, claiming to be among the top-ranked players globally in Diablo IV, a leading title in the action role-playing genre. Yet, Musk’s credibility has come under scrutiny among gaming influencers recently.

Essential Information

In light of recent criticism from gaming influencers questioning Musk’s gaming expertise, Grimes came to his defense in a Saturday post on X.

“For my personal pride, I want to declare that the father of my children was the first American druid in Diablo to successfully clear Abattoir of Zir and concluded that season as the best in the USA. He also ranked in Polytopia and defeated Felix himself in that game. I witnessed these events with my own eyes. There are others who can confirm this. That is all,” she wrote.

The criticism initially emerged on January 7 when Musk broadcasted himself playing Path of Exile 2 on X, the social media platform he owns, using an account ranked ninth worldwide in the game’s “hardcore” mode, its most challenging level.

However, viewers quickly observed that Musk’s conduct during the stream did not align with that of a skilled player. The billionaire seemed unfamiliar with fundamental game mechanics, such as mana and looting and described his items as subpar relative to his character’s level, even though the items in question were regarded as some of the best in the game.

In a video critiquing Musk’s stream, New Zealand livestreamer and Path of Exile player Quin69TV remarked it was “inconceivable” that Musk could have attained the account’s level based on his performance during the stream, as he would not have been capable of acquiring the items he possessed.

Other prominent influencers echoed this sentiment, pointing out the extensive time required to reach the highest levels in the game, which appeared inconsistent with Musk’s commitments.

Public Reactions

Hasan Piker, a political livestreamer and regular critic of Musk, stated earlier this week: “He was so clearly cheating. We know he’s not an exceptional player. It’s amusing to me how poor he is. I wonder how much he invested in this. He just wanted to flaunt and appear like a cool nerd.”

MoistCr1tikal, an influencer also known as Charlie, commented in a video analyzing Musk’s stream on Monday: “This is so ridiculous. He doesn’t grasp how the game functions. It’s so false it’s comical … He is hopelessly lost, and from his style of play, it seems he doesn’t even know how to engage with the game.”

Elon Musk tweeted on X in November: “So many life lessons to be learned from speedrunning video games on maximum difficulty. Teaches you to perceive the matrix, rather than merely exist within the matrix.”

What to Expect Moving Forward

While Musk has remained silent on the allegations, the billionaire is poised to assume a significant position in President-elect Donald Trump’s new administration, which is set to resume on Monday. Musk and fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy will oversee Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).