# The Great Diablo Speedrun Controversy: How Investigators Discovered a Fabricated World Record
For years, Maciej “Groobo” Maselewski maintained an undisputed world record in *Diablo* speedrunning. His 3-minute, 12-second Sorcerer run was deemed unbeatable, thanks to a unique blend of skill, exploitation of glitches, and seemingly incredible luck in the game’s procedurally generated dungeons. However, a group of committed speedrunners and analysts recently unveiled discrepancies in Groobo’s run, leading to the startling discovery that his record was fabricated.
## The Investigation Kicks Off
The inquiry commenced when other speedrunners endeavored to replicate Groobo’s run utilizing external tools and software. Despite their diligent efforts, they were unable to reproduce the identical dungeon layout and item drops showcased in his video. This piqued suspicions, prompting a more in-depth examination.
To authenticate Groobo’s run, the team decompiled *Diablo* and executed an automated search through 2.2 billion possible dungeon seeds—the randomly generated figures that establish dungeon designs, item arrangements, and enemy appearances. Their objective was to discover a seed that aligned with Groobo’s run, but their search yielded no results.
## The Unlikely Fortune
Groobo’s run exhibited an exceptionally advantageous dungeon layout, with staircases situated closely together, facilitating quick descents through the levels. Furthermore, he found *Naj’s Puzzler*—a rare item that allows for teleportation—on dungeon level 9, an exceptionally unusual event.
The TAS (Tool-Assisted Speedrun) team, directed by Allan “DwangoAC” Cecil and other speedrunners, fashioned a custom map generation tool to scrutinize *Diablo*’s dungeon seeds. This apparatus enabled them to sift through billions of potential dungeons in search of one that corresponded with Groobo’s run. Nevertheless, following a comprehensive search, they determined that no plausible seed could replicate the same dungeon layout and item drops.
## The Damning Evidence: An Elusive Seed
The team broadened their inquiry to encompass “impossible” seeds—those that could only be created by altering the game’s save files. They discovered that the dungeon layout in Groobo’s run could solely be generated using seeds linked to the years 2056 and 2074, far exceeding *Diablo*’s valid date range (1970–2038). This suggested that Groobo had utilized external tools to manipulate the game, breaching speedrunning regulations.
Further investigation indicated that Groobo’s run was cobbled together from various saves, each produced with distinct seeds. Typically, a single seed determines all dungeon levels in a run, but Groobo’s video portrayed levels from several different seeds, substantiating that the footage was edited.
## More Discrepancies Appear
As the investigation progressed, additional inconsistencies arose:
– The copyright date on the title screen did not align with the game version displayed later in the video, implying that footage from multiple game versions was utilized.
– Items obtained early in the run vanished from the inventory later without reason.
– Groobo’s final confrontation with Diablo required merely 19 fireballs—technically feasible, but the TAS team discovered that the damage output and boss behavior aligned only with a level 26 Sorcerer, not the level 12 Sorcerer presented in the video.
## The Consequences
After examining the evidence, Speed Demos Archive (SDA), a prominent speedrunning community, eliminated Groobo’s run from their records, stating that it “very likely does not originate solely from legitimate techniques.” However, Guinness World Records has yet to take action, and Groobo’s record remains listed as the “Fastest completion of an RPG videogame.”
The controversy left a lasting mark on the *Diablo* speedrunning community. For more than a decade, Groobo’s seemingly insurmountable run discouraged other players from attempting to surpass the record. With his fraudulent run revealed, new speedrunners are now competing on verified legitimate seeds, and the category is witnessing a revival.
## Insights Gained
The *Diablo* speedrun controversy underscores the significance of verification in competitive gaming. Even highly regarded players can manipulate outcomes, and uncritical trust in record holders can hinder competition. The TAS team’s investigation serves as a reminder that transparency and scrutiny are vital for maintaining the integrity of speedrunning.
As new runners establish records on validated seeds, the *Diablo* speedrunning community can at last move ahead, unburdened by the legacy of a fraudulent world record.
