Laughter is the best medicine, but this medicine tastes even better when its source is a video game. True, quite a lot of memes from video games might fly right over the heads of the majority of people who haven’t played games, but in a way, this just makes these memes exclusive to a set group of people, bringing and bonding them together.
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While that is true for many games, sometitles are just so popularthat the memes that came out of them became such a hit that they’re instantly recognizable today, even by people who haven’t really played the game that the meme originated from. Here are a few such memes that, despite coming from video games, have transcended this industry and become a global sensation.
Heavy Rain
It’s ironic how the SHAUN meme originates from one of the most emotional moments in Heavy Rain, where protagonist Ethan Mars desperately screams his son’s name during a pivotal scene. What makes this moment unintentionally hilarious is thein-game glitchthat allows players to repeatedly press a button, causing Ethan to yell “SHAUN” on a loop, often at the most inappropriate moments during cutscenes.
While Heavy Rain was critically acclaimed for itsgripping narrative, this glitch quickly gained meme status. Fans began remixing and editing the clip, transforming what was meant to be a heartbreaking scene into an enduring joke. It might not be the most popular meme from a video game, but it definitely is the funniest.
8“Nanomachines, Son!”
Metal Gear Rising: Revengence
Senator Armstrong is a meme machine, with nearly every moment of his existence a template for a meme. The game embraces over-the-top dialogue and action scenes, and it’s difficult to take the Senator too seriously. Arguably the most popular meme that came from this antagonist is his “Nanomachines, son!” dialogue that he uttered during a fight with Jack to explain why he can’t be hurt. “They harden in response to physical trauma”.
The phrase quickly became a meme due to Armstrong’s bombastic delivery and the ridiculousness of the entire scene. Fans latched onto the quote, using it to humorously explain anything inexplicable or overpowered.
Why is this article so long? Too many memes, son!
7Baka Mitai
The emotional karaoke ballad “Baka Mitai”, which translates to “I’ve been a fool,” became a surprise internet sensation, thanks to the melodramatic performances of Kazuma Kiryu. The song’s heartfelt lyrics, combined with the stoic expressions of Kazuma, created a comedic contrast that quickly became a worldwide sensation. The music is addicting and Kazuma’s face is a sight to behold, making the meme so powerful that many people played through the entire Yakuza franchise just because they liked the meme.
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The meme truly exploded when the Dame Dame deepfake trend took over the internet. Suddenly, everything from beloved cartoon characters to political figures was lip-syncing this emotional tune.
GTA San Andreas
Few missions in gaming are as universally dreaded as “Wrong Side of the Tracks” from GTA: San Andreas. After failing to keep up with a train, Big Smoke delivers the infamous line, blaming CJ for their failure: “All we had to do was follow the damn train, CJ!”
The frustration of this mission, paired with Big Smoke’s accusatory tone he took despite not being able to shoot properly from an almost point-blank range, struck a chord with players. The line became a meme as fans vented their pain by relating it with this mission and its iconic line. Even Rockstar themselves referenced this meme inGTA 5in an additional task in the “Derailed” mission, where if Trevor landed on the train on the first jump, the “Better than CJ” task would be completed.
5“Here We Go Again.”
Sometimes, the simplest phrases are the most enduring. San Andreas opens with CJ’s resigned muttering, “Ah, s***, here we go again,” as he returns to his chaotic life in Los Santos.
This moment quickly became a meme, with fans using the phrase, along with the accompanying image of CJ walking, to signify any situation where history seems doomed to repeat itself. It’s easily relatable and easy for anyone to make a meme out of, which furthers its popularity.
4“But Then I Took an Arrow in the Knee”
Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
It’s hard to walk through any town in Skyrim without hearing a guard reminisce about their adventuring days: “I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee.” This line, repeated endlessly by every single guard in the game, quickly became an internet sensation.
Fans turned the phrase into a template for jokes, using it to describe any life-changing event. While Skyrim boasts countless memorable moments, this unassuming line of dialogue somehow became its most enduring contribution to pop culture.
3The Cake Is a Lie
“The cake is a lie” became an instant internet phenomenon after the release of Portal. Found scrawled on the walls of Aperture Science’s test chambers, the phrase hints at GLaDOS’s deceitful nature and the dark undertones of the game.
Players latched onto the phrase as a metaphor for false promises, and it quickly spread beyond the gaming world. Even today, “The cake is a lie” remains one of the most iconic memes in gaming history, a testament to Portal’s enduring influence.
2Press F to Pay Respects
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
What began as a somber, interactive funeral scene in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare became a meme for its unintentional awkwardness. During the scene, players were prompted to press F to pay their respects, a mechanic that struck many as unnecessary and oddly humorous.
The internet wasted no time turning this moment into a meme, using it to ironically convey sympathy for trivial or absurd situations.
Got diabolically roasted in a conversation on Discord? F.
Few memes have achieved the viral dominance of “Sus” fromAmong Us. Short for “suspicious,” the term became a staple of the game’s chaotic discussions, as players accused each other of being impostors.
“Sus” quickly escaped the confines of Among Us, infiltrating everyday language and internet culture. Its simplicity, combined with the game’s widespread popularity during the pandemic, made “Sus” a defining meme of its era, and arguably the most popular gaming meme of all time.
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