‘Make Games Great Again’: Elon Musk doubles down on ‘anti-woke’ gaming studio mission

Acting on his months-old online rants against activism in video games, Elon Musk confirmed his xAI would be launching a gaming studio soon.

Having once declared himself one of the world’s best Diablo IV players, Elon Musk’s gamer credibility has come under scrutiny time and again. Some have even wondered if he’s a fake gamer and is possibly paying others to boost his gaming aura.

While unveiling Grok 3, Elon Musk confirmed that his xAI would be launching a one-of-a-kind gaming studio.(REUTERS)

The billionaire is knee-deep in commitments across the board. From politically impacting the Trump administration to embracing a Mars habitation dream and leading the electric vehicle scene, the tech titan is engrossed with anything and everything. Adding to that roster of interests, Musk has repeatedly inserted himself into gaming culture wars.

Elon Musk starting a gaming studio

The tech mogul made headlines even last year, gaining traction with his announcement of starting his own AI-based game studio to counter the pervasive “woke” culture taking over the gaming landscape. Countering the current scheme of game-fare, Musk hopes to “make games great again,” with his initiative through his startup xAI.

On February 17, he again sunk his teeth back into the same old conversation. Quote re-posting the tweet, the billionaire affirmed, “It’s got to be done. Make video games great again.”

The post he was referencing underscored how fed up the SpaceX chief was with “woke politics and DEI destroying the games industry” that he’d greenlit the decision of xAI launching a game studio. “He previously vowed to “make games great again” after pointing out that developers and game journalists have been ideologically captured by the woke mind virus.

The gaming culture wars just got a new player,” the post read.

Elon Musk against politically driven games with activism

Back in November 2024, Musk snapped at the inclusion of pronouns in fantasy games. As former video game executive Mark Kern labelled their use on such a platform as symptomatic of a “woke mind virus,” Elon went on to similarly slam it as “utterly unacceptable.”

Also referring to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which synonymously equated to unnecessary interruptions, Musk branded it all “DEI woke bullsh*t” that breaks the flow of a game’s immersive qualities.

“You do not want to do things that damage art. It breaks you out of the story,” he continued. Internet personality Mario Nawfal, “the host of the largest show on X,” was on the same page as Elon Musk, and highlighted, “Gamers want content, not ideology.”

The tech titan’s stance against activism in video games seemed to have resonated with many other gamers on the conservative side of the spectrum.

In January 2025, he started the new year by again doubling down on ridding video games of political ideology. “Video games are meant for you to be immersed in an exciting and creative alternative reality and have fun with friends. V,” he wrote on X.

Although it all just seemed like inflated talk at one point, with Grok 3’s release, Musk has confirmed, “We’re launching an AI gaming studio at xAI. If you’re interested in joining us and building AI games, please join xAI.”