Elon Musk’s recent attempt to blend gaming with a demonstration of Starlink’s airborne internet capabilities turned into a spectacle for all the wrong reasons. What was supposed to be a technological showcase from the sky quickly devolved into an online mockery session. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO went live on X (formerly Twitter) this past Saturday, streaming himself playing Path of Exile 2 from his private jet. Musk referred to the event as an “airborne continuity test” for Starlink, aimed at proving the service’s strength and consistency while in flight. But the billionaire’s plan backfired almost immediately.

A Rough Start: Technical and Gameplay Failures

From the outset, the livestream was plagued with problems—not just technical, but personal as well. As Musk booted up Path of Exile 2, he struggled through the early stages of the game, frequently dying and having to recreate his character multiple times. His silence during gameplay only emphasized the awkwardness of the situation. While viewers initially tuned in out of curiosity, the stream’s quality and Musk’s performance did little to keep them engaged.

Despite earlier admissions that he paid individuals to help boost his online popularity, Musk failed to impress with his gameplay. Instead, he became the subject of widespread ridicule. The slow pace, repetitive deaths, and visibly unimpressive playstyle left little room for admiration.

Chat Chaos: Viewers Launch Brutal Verbal Attacks

The livestream’s chat feature soon became a breeding ground for mockery and abuse. As thousands of viewers flooded the stream, the comments took a dark and hostile turn. Many began launching personal attacks on Musk, mocking everything from his appearance to his political alliances.

One viewer crudely suggested Musk should “please j**k off Mr Trump so he dies of a heart attack,” setting the tone for what would become a relentless barrage of harassment. Others chimed in with cutting remarks like, “You have no real friends and will die alone,” and “You will always feel insecure, and it will never go away.”

The insults didn’t stop there. Several users blamed Musk for wider social issues, including job cuts and national unrest. “You ruined the country just like you ruined all your marriages,” one commenter declared. Another mockingly asked, “Elon, how is it possible to look this dumb and ugly? Why is your Tesla company falling apart?”

Fake Identity and Child Support Drama

As if the trolling weren’t already intense, one user impersonated Ashley St Clair, a conservative influencer rumored to be associated with Musk. The person repeatedly posted: “Elon. It's me, Ashley St Claire. I have no other means of contacting you, so I bought PoE2 early access just for this. Please pay your child support. Thank you, Elon.”

Despite a few sympathetic voices trying to help Musk disable the chat feature, the onslaught of comments was too overwhelming. Abuse and mockery dominated the screen, leaving little room for anything constructive or supportive.

Musk’s Response and Abrupt Exit

Throughout the chaos, Musk largely remained silent, offering little reaction to the flood of negative comments. However, at one point, he snapped back with a controversial remark, stating, “There’s a lot of r-----s in the chat,” a slur that only added fuel to the fire.

Eventually, after dying in the game for the third time, Musk abruptly ended the stream, claiming that the “connection was lost.” It’s unclear whether the disconnection was genuine or simply an excuse to bring the disastrous session to a close.

A PR Stunt Gone Wrong

What began as a promotional event to demonstrate Starlink’s capabilities turned into an embarrassing episode for one of the world’s most prominent tech CEOs. Instead of showcasing cutting-edge technology and his gaming skills, Elon Musk ended up offering a live feed of unfiltered criticism, online trolling, and personal attacks—all while struggling to play a game. The livestream may go down as a cautionary tale about the risks of mixing public personas, personal ambitions, and the unpredictability of the internet.