Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, tech CEO, and frequent MAGA supporter, has now added another achievement to his list: he’s a dedicated gamer. In a surprise appearance on the Joe Rogan Podcast just before the US presidential election, Musk revealed that he ranks among the top 20 players of Diablo 4, a game with over 6 million global players.
Musk, 53, shared that while the top 20 Diablo 4 rankings are largely dominated by players from China, Korea, and Taiwan, he is one of only two Americans in the group. “The top 20… even the top 100 is totally dominated by China. China, and a little bit of Korea and then Taiwan. There are only two Americans in the top 20. The rest are from Asia,” Musk told Rogan.
When asked to reveal his in-game handle, the Tesla CEO said, “Well, they actually listed me with my actual name in the list.”
Explaining why he enjoys gaming, Musk described how the game helps him unwind: “If I could play a video game on extreme difficulty, then I have to concentrate fully on the game. And it has a calming effect.”
Diablo 4 is an action role-playing game developed by Blizzard Entertainment and released in 2023. The game continues the dark fantasy narrative of the Diablo series, set in the world of Sanctuary. Players are tasked with defeating evil forces led by Lilith, the Daughter of Hatred, while acquiring stronger gear and battling increasingly challenging foes.
The game introduces five core classes: Barbarian, Sorcerer, Rogue, Druid, and Necromancer, each with its unique abilities. Unlike its predecessors, Diablo 4 features an open-world structure, allowing players to explore five distinct regions. Its gothic art style, filled with horrifying monsters and dark themes, has been praised by fans for its atmospheric intensity.
While the internet was initially skeptical, a fact-check confirmed that Musk is indeed ranked number 19 globally in Diablo 4. According to Forbes, he is also one of the only two Americans in the top 20.
The news of Musk’s impressive ranking raised eyebrows on social media, as many questioned how someone managing multiple companies, along with his busy schedule, could devote enough time to reach this level in the game.
“Elon Musk, who has 11 kids, has played so many hours of Diablo 4 in the last month that he is the 19th-ranked player in the world (as measured by time to beat the hardest dungeon, known as Pit 150). Would require dozens or hundreds of hours of grinding,” one X user wrote.
“I genuinely don’t understand how he does that,” another user commented.
Some online theorists speculated that Musk might have “paid someone to grind his character up.” One post on X suggested, “There is a very real chance that it’s not legitimate and he paid someone to grind for him. BUT… an even bigger chance that because he doesn’t have an actual job, he can spend his ample free time playing video games all day.”
Another theory humorously suggested, “I suspect he’s hiring ringers to play for him.”
