Elon Musk’s Fascination with Video Games: A Look at His Favorites

Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and visionary behind companies like Tesla and SpaceX, has had a lifelong addiction to video games. According to his biographer, Musk's interest in video games started at a young age. However, despite his love for gaming, there is one popular title that Musk has no interest in – "Grand Theft Auto."

The Early Years: Blastar

Musk's fascination with video games began early in his life. In fact, one of his first inventions was a video game called Blastar. Musk developed the game when he was just 12 years old. Blastar, a Space Invaders-style side scroller, caught the attention of a PC magazine company, which bought the game from Musk for $500. Even today, you can still play Blastar online, and it's impressive considering it was created by a teenager in 1984.

Elden Ring: A Game That Kept Musk Up All Night

One game that Musk has openly expressed his admiration for is From Software's fantasy RPG, Elden Ring. Musk was so captivated by the game that he reportedly stayed up until 5:30 in the morning playing it. This happened shortly after he decided to buy Twitter in April 2022. According to Musk's partner, Grimes, he was in a high-stress mode at the time. Musk's love for Elden Ring is not surprising, given the game's massive world and challenging boss fights. It is said that Musk spent a significant amount of time in Caelid, a desolate and apocalyptic wasteland, while contemplating the purchase of Twitter.

An Avid Fan of Overwatch

Musk is also known to be a big fan of Overwatch, a popular first-person shooter multiplayer game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. His admiration for the game even extended to engaging in Overwatch-themed roleplay. Musk once told his then-girlfriend, Amber Heard, that she resembled his favorite Overwatch character, Mercy. In response, Heard spent two months designing a detailed replica costume to fulfill Musk's fantasy. Unfortunately, this didn't save their relationship, as the couple broke up in 2017.

Cyberpunk 2077: A Source of Inspiration

Musk has long been fascinated by the futuristic world depicted in Cyberpunk 2077, a highly anticipated video game released in 2020. The game's science fiction aesthetic served as an inspiration for the design of Tesla's Cybertruck. Musk's ex-girlfriend, Grimes, even voiced a character in the game. According to Musk's biography, he crashed one of her recording sessions and demanded a cameo. Although it seems Musk didn't get the cameo he wanted, some fans speculated that they spotted him playing a character when the game was released. The game's themes of human-machine hybrids and neural interfaces resonated with Musk, aligning with his vision for Neuralink, his brain implant startup.

The Addiction: Battle of Polytopia

Like many other tech CEOs, Musk is reportedly a big fan of the mobile strategy game "Battle of Polytopia." In this game, players take on the role of tribal leaders battling for world domination. Musk discovered Polytopia in 2021 and quickly became obsessed with it. He was so engrossed in the game that he would even delay business meetings to continue playing. Musk encouraged his brother, Kimbal, to play the game, believing it would make him a better CEO by helping him "remove empathy." However, Kimbal eventually had to stop playing because it was negatively affecting his marriage. Musk himself had to temporarily delete the game after it started invading his dreams.

It's clear that video games have played a significant role in Elon Musk's life. From his early creation of Blastar to his love for games like Elden Ring, Overwatch, Cyberpunk 2077, and Battle of Polytopia, Musk's passion for gaming continues to shape his interests and even inspire his work.

Source: Business Insider

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By: tcarter@insider.com (Tom Carter)
Title: Elon Musk’s Fascination with Video Games: A Look at His Favorites
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-video-games-grand-theft-auto-elden-ring-2023-12
Published Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2023 09:11:01 +0000