Elon Musk Reveals Why He Avoided Grand Theft Auto
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed he stopped playing Grand Theft Auto because he was uncomfortable with the game’s requirement to kill police officers and NPCs to progress.
Key Takeaways
- Elon Musk stopped playing GTA due to moral discomfort with killing police
- He revealed this during an interview with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath
- Musk avoids games that challenge basic morality principles
- The revelation comes ahead of GTA 6’s expected 2026 release
Musk’s Moral Stance on Violent Games
During a candid conversation on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk explained his reluctance to play the popular GTA franchise. The discussion turned to morality and religion when Kamath asked about Musk’s gaming preferences.
“I have only played a little bit of GTA because I didn’t like the fact that… Like in GTA 5, you literally can’t progress unless you kill the police. This doesn’t work for me,” Musk stated.
He elaborated further: “I actually don’t like killing the NPCs in video games. That’s not my thing. I actually stopped playing when it said the only way to proceed is to kill the police. I don’t want to do that.”
Philosophical Exchange with Kamath
Kamath responded humorously, suggesting “Maybe that’s why us as the NPCs of our simulation are not dying,” to which Musk simply replied “maybe.”
Musk then shared his broader perspective: “I think there are some common sense things that any civilisation that runs around… where people just murder each other wantonly, is not gonna be a successful one.”
Timing and Context
The revelation comes as the gaming community eagerly awaits GTA 6, scheduled for November 2026. Musk’s comments highlight his personal ethical boundaries, even in virtual environments enjoyed by millions worldwide.
The upcoming GTA 6 is expected to feature a different approach with a romantic couple as dual protagonists in its open-world crime narrative.
The full podcast episode covers additional topics including Musk’s fascination with the letter ‘X’, technology, entrepreneurship, and space exploration.
