Who was XXXTentacion?
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, better known as XXXTentacion, was mostly known by everyone as a rapper and singer-songwriter. While he was mostly known for his raw, emotional music that often dealt with mental health, heartbreak, and personal struggles that he was going through (not to mention legal troubles), XXXTentacion was also an avid gamer. He often played video games live and shared with fans during interviews, livestreams, and social media posts what games he was playing. I’m using past tense due to the fact that he was shot dead in a gangster-like attack in 2018. It wasn’t in fact a gang-related shooting, he was simply robbed and died for $50,000 or so.
While his music is well-documented, not a lot can be told about his gaming interests and I might say that it offers a unique insight into his personality. For XXXTentacion, video games seemed to be more than just a pastime – they were a way to relax and connect with friends. Like many others, X used gaming as an escape from the pressures of life, a way to unwind after intense studio sessions or the demands of his public life.
XXXTentacion – Video Games he played
I was curious into what games XXXTentacion played and with a bit of research I found quite a long list that he enjoyed:
- Call of Duty Series
X was known to enjoy the Call of Duty franchise, particularly its multiplayer modes. He often talked about playing Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Modern Warfare, games that have remained staples in the gaming community. - Grand Theft Auto V (hundreds of hours)
Another favorite of X’s was Grand Theft Auto V. Whether it was the gripping storyline of the game or the chaotic freedom offered by its open-world multiplayer mode, X was drawn to the immersive nature of GTA V. - Minecraft
Though less prominent in his public mentions, fans have occasionally cited his enjoyment of Minecraft. The sandbox game’s creative freedom aligns with X’s artistic nature, offering a space to build, experiment, and relax. - Fortnite
During the height of Fortnite’s popularity, X, like many others, hopped on the Battle Royale bandwagon. - FIFA and Sports Games
X was also known to dabble in sports games like FIFA and NBA 2K. These games allowed him to connect with friends in a laid-back setting, reinforcing the social aspect of gaming in his life.
And there’s a lot more games that he either mentioned or streamed live while playing them:
- League of Legends
- PUBG
- Dota 2
- Black Desert Online
- FINAL FANTASY XIV online
- Just Survive
- Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
- Runescape
- Shadow of Colossus
- Little Big Planet 3
- Assassin’s Creed
- Black OPS 3
- Uncharted series
- Mabinogi
- IMVU (a lot of it)
- Meez (dead game now)
- Naruto Storm 4
- J-Stars Victory VS
Now, he did play a lot of video games, but did he have a favorite? He did, his favourite game was Kingdom Hearts. The source for the list of XXXTentacion videogames is his Twitter account, his Steam account and his PlayStation account.
What set X apart from many artists was his willingness to connect directly with his fans, and gaming was one of the ways he did so. He often shared his gaming sessions through livestreams, engaging with fans in real time. In interviews, X revealed that gaming was also a way to bond with close friends, some of whom became collaborators in his music.
For XXXTentacion, gaming likely played a subtle but meaningful role in shaping his creativity. Though XXXTentacion’s life and career were often marked by controversy and intensity, his love for video games paints a picture of someone who, at his core, sought joy, connection, and moments of peace. For fans, knowing about his gaming interests adds another layer to understanding the man behind the music – a reminder that even iconic figures have hobbies and passions that ground them.
XXXTentacion-named Video Games
Now this is the part that I don’t like. I’ve seen a lot of developers on Google Play publishing games and apps that mention XXXTentacion without having any connection with the artist. Purely made for riding his popularity bandwagon, sort of like hyenas feasting on dead bodies. Why go so low? Don’t believe me? Here’s a list of what I found:
First, there’s a game called XXXTentacion te Piano Tiles that has well over 100k installs. It’s sort of a clone of more popular piano games but that’s not the main issue. You’d think the game had something to do with the singer right? Wrong, here’s what the game does:
This game XXXTentacion te Piano Tiles Jogo provides all the popular songs from all over the world, You can play all of those songs in the piano version of this game. With this piano app, even everyone can play the piano like a professional pianist.
So the game doesn’t even use his songs for playing it. Wow. This isn’t the only game, in fact there’s another clone of this piano game clone and several other apps and games:
That’s right, there are even two XXXTentacion Coloring Book games with a PEGI 3 rating. Meaning children aged 3 and above can practice coloring XXXTentacion themed sketches. If you’ve ever listened to his songs, you know that this is quite inappropriate. But hey, installs & views count so “kudos” to these Android developers who would stop at nothing to gain some money. Google Play should even make a new category for games such as this one, Obituary Games.
