If you've spent any time scrolling Overwatch community forums, gaming TikTok, or the Overwatch Rush subreddit, you've probably come across the viral question: does elon musk play overwatch. Overwatch has one of the most dedicated, curious fan bases of any modern online game, so it's no surprise fans dig into every public figure's connection to the hero shooter, from pro athletes to A-list actors to tech billionaires. I first saw this question pop up in a thread three years ago, and I was curious enough to go down the rabbit hole of old tweets, podcast interviews, and fan forums to find the real answer, instead of just repeating the unsubstantiated rumors that get passed around social media. A lot of wild claims have floated around over the years, from rumors he's a secret Top 500 support main to whispers he's played scrims with pro Overwatch League teams, so we're breaking down what's real and what's fake below.
Does Elon Musk Play Overwatch? The Official Answer
The short answer is yes, he has played Overwatch regularly in the past, and still dabbles in casual matches every few months when his schedule allows. The first public confirmation came in a 2022 Twitter reply, where he responded directly to a fan asking about his gaming habits and named Overwatch as one of his go-to casual multiplayer titles. Elon's public comments about Overwatch are the only verified source of information about his playtime, as he has never shared his in-game account name publicly.
He noted he played far more of the original Overwatch than Overwatch 2, and wasn't a big fan of the shift to 5v5 format when the sequel launched. He said the original 6v6 format felt more team-focused, which aligned with what he enjoyed most about the game. He also admitted he's never climbed above Gold rank, and only ever plays quick play or arcade modes, not competitive, because he doesn't have time to grind to improve his rank between running Tesla, SpaceX, and his other projects.
For a while, a rumor was circulating that he owned one of the rare original Overwatch closed beta accounts, but he later debunked that in a podcast interview, saying he only started playing the game a few months after its official 2016 launch.
What Overwatch Heroes Does Elon Musk Prefer?
Elon has explicitly named two heroes as his mains: Mercy and Reinhardt. He said he gravitates toward support and tank roles because he likes contributing to team wins more than chasing high kill counts on DPS heroes. For Mercy, he specifically loves her Resurrect ability, and says there's no better feeling in the game than pulling off a full team rez right before a fight to turn a sure loss into a win. He joked he's been flamed more than a few times by his teammates for hiding behind walls to line up a good rez instead of pocket healing the DPS, but he stands by the choice.
For Reinhardt, he likes the simplicity of the playstyle, and says swinging the rocket hammer is way more fun than shooting a gun for hours on end. He also appreciates that the role lets him lead the team, and that his shield can keep less experienced teammates alive through messy team fights. He tried playing Tracer exactly once, he said, and died 12 times in a 10-minute quick play match, so he never touched the hero again. Mercy mains are often some of the most underappreciated players on any Overwatch team, so it's cool to see a high-profile player publicly giving the hero some love.
He has never mentioned playing any other Overwatch heroes, so it's safe to assume those two are the only ones he puts time into when he logs on. If you ever queue into a casual match with a Mercy main with a throwaway account name referencing space or electric cars, there's a small chance it's actually Elon.
Has Elon Musk Ever Streamed or Competed in Overwatch?
Despite a lot of viral clips floating around social media claiming to show Elon playing Overwatch, he has never streamed the game publicly, and has never participated in any official or celebrity Overwatch tournaments. He said in a 2023 interview that he plays games to relax, not to perform for an audience, and he doesn't want thousands of people watching and criticizing his bad plays. He also noted he would never stream any competitive game because he doesn't want to get targeted by trolls who would queue into the same match just to harass him.
Most of the fake clips circulating are edited to add Elon's voice over random Overwatch gameplay, or use accounts with fake gamertags that use his name to get views. If you're ever unsure if a clip is real, you can use these quick checks to spot a fake:
- The account has a verified checkmark or uses Elon's full name as a gamertag: Elon has repeatedly said he uses completely anonymous throwaway accounts for all online games to avoid being targeted.
- The player is a high-ranked DPS main: Elon has explicitly stated he only plays support and tank heroes, and he's never climbed above gold rank in any mode.
- The clip is from an official tournament or large stream: Elon has never appeared at any Overwatch event, public or private, for streaming or competition.
He has streamed other games in the past, including Elden Ring and a few indie titles, but Overwatch has never been one of them. Always check the source of any viral clips claiming to show a celebrity playing a game, as most are edited or faked for views.
What Other Games Does Elon Musk Play Besides Overwatch?
Overwatch is far from the only game Elon plays in his free time. He's a well-documented fan of a wide range of titles, from classic retro games to modern AAA releases. He made headlines in 2022 when he beat Elden Ring in less than a month, and tweeted about struggling for hours to beat the Malenia boss fight. He also regularly plays old first-person shooters like Doom and Quake, and says Civilization IV is his all-time favorite turn-based strategy game.
He sometimes plays casual Valorant matches with his younger brother, but says he's even worse at that than he is at Overwatch, and usually ends up at the bottom of the leaderboard. He has also mentioned playing Kerbal Space Program occasionally, for obvious reasons, though he says the game's physics are a little too simple compared to the real rocket science he works on every day. Elon has said gaming is one of his only ways to unwind from the intense pressure of running multiple multi-billion dollar companies, so he tries to make time for at least an hour of gaming a week when his schedule allows.
He has also donated to a number of gaming-related charity events over the years, including a few Overwatch charity streams run by content creators, though he never appeared on the streams himself. He's said he likes that gaming can be used to raise money for good causes, and that the tight-knit communities around games like Overwatch are one of the best parts of the hobby.
At the end of the day, the answer to does elon musk play overwatch is a resounding yes, even if he doesn't play as often as he used to before the Overwatch 2 launch. It's always fun to learn that even some of the richest, busiest people in the world take time to unwind with the same games we all love, and it's especially cool to see a public figure who mains support instead of the usual flashy DPS picks most celebrity players favor. You shouldn't get your hopes up about queuing into a match with him any time soon, since he uses completely anonymous accounts and only plays casual modes, but it's still a fun bit of trivia to share with your Overwatch squad during your next queue time. If you're a support main who gets flamed for hiding to pull off a good rez, you can always tell your team you're just playing like Elon.