Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsElon Musk’s Path of Exile 2 character Percy_Verence died in Hardcore mode at level 97 on January 10, 2025. Musk later acknowledged account boosting in a message exchange reported by The Guardian, but the available reports do not establish that a paid gamer leveled Percy_Verence, that Musk was playing when it died, or that incompetence caused its death. The character was removed from the Hardcore pool, not erased from the account.
What happened to Percy_Verence?
PC Gamer reported that Percy_Verence died at about 8 a.m. EST on January 10, 2025, at level 97 and Rank 7 on the Path of Exile 2 Hardcore ladder. In Hardcore mode, a character’s first death moves it into the standard character pool. That ends its run as a Hardcore character; it does not mean the character was permanently deleted from the account. PC Gamer’s report describes the death and its consequence.
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Did Musk acknowledge paying someone to level it?
Not specifically. On January 22, The Guardian reported on a video posted by gamer NikoWrex that showed a private-message exchange with Musk. Asked whether he had level-boosted or bought gear or resources for Path of Exile 2 and Diablo IV, Musk replied with a 100 percent emoji and added: “It’s impossible to beat the players in Asia if you don’t, as they do!” The Guardian said it could not independently verify the transcript, while noting that Musk reposted the video. The exchange is a reported broad acknowledgement of boosting, not proof that a paid player leveled Percy_Verence in particular. The Guardian’s report gives the exchange and its verification caveat.
Was Musk playing when the character died, and did a mistake cause it?
The reviewed coverage does not establish either point. Players questioned whether Musk had personally progressed Percy_Verence after watching him play during a January 7, 2025 livestream and noticing apparent unfamiliarity with basic mechanics. That reaction is evidence of suspicion, not proof of who played the account or how it was leveled. Reports describe theories about the character’s death, but do not demonstrate who was controlling it at the time or identify a specific error as the cause. Futurism likewise characterized the causal explanation as speculation. Futurism’s coverage discusses the speculation; PC Gamer’s report covers the death.
What can be said with confidence?
- Percy_Verence died in Path of Exile 2 Hardcore at level 97 and Rank 7 on January 10, 2025.
- Its first death moved it out of the Hardcore pool; the available report does not say it was erased from the account.
- The Guardian reported Musk’s broad acknowledgement of account boosting, but said it could not independently verify the message transcript.
- The reports do not connect a paid player to Percy_Verence specifically or establish who was playing when it died, or why.
The Washington Post later reported Musk’s comments that top accounts require multiple people during leveling races, and said boosting violates Path of Exile’s terms of service. That report adds context to the broader boosting discussion; it does not establish the specific history or cause of Percy_Verence’s death. The Washington Post’s report covers those comments and its account of the rules.
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