As social networking becomes more and more popular, it becomes increasingly common for the lifespan of memes to shorten. The majority of memes in modern times tend to crop up and disappear in a matter of days, with few gaining the level of overuse and notoriety as older memes such as Portal's "the cake is a lie". But in the eyes of some gaming fans, certain video game memes never seem to lose their charm.
Memes, particularly gaming memes, exist on something of a slippery slope. What is considered trendy and funny in one moment could quickly become annoying and outdated in the eyes of online social circles, especially when these memes pertain to recently-released media. It isn't uncommon for new memes to fall out of use within a month of appearing.
Some gaming fans also use modding to bring memes to video games. Memes that might have no relation to any given game could see an introduction within the world of those games just by virtue of being modded in by players. As situational as these mods might be, they can help make a game more culturally or socially relevant.
Eternal Video Game Memes: Skyrim's Opening
Skyrim has been the subject of more memes than just about any other video game series in modern times. From overused arrow to the knee jokes to more versatile memes based around the odd dialogue and skills featured in the Elder Scrolls series, even now Skyrim retains relevance in the world of memes. One of the more frequent subjects to pop up in these memes is Skyrim's opening sequence, which involves a fade from black as characters awaken on the back of a carriage, providing a versatile template that many fans use to insert the opening into other media.
Eternal Video Game Memes: Geralt Bathtub Scene
The Witcher 3 features a memorable scene in which Geralt, the game's main protagonist, is shown sitting in a bathtub. The scene gained notoriety for the odd posing utilized in it, as Geralt has his arms and legs spread out on the sides of the tub. PC Gamer later began to feature the scene in various articles about The Witcher - excessively so, some fans would argue - and in 2019 The Witcher Netflix series even featured a similar scene in a trailer for the show.
Eternal Video Game Memes: Press F To Pay Respects
The "press F to pay respects" meme originated as an action prompt featured in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. This gameplay element was initially criticized and even mocked by fans of the game, as the action felt gimmicky and out of place in what was meant to be a serious moment within the game. But with time, the saying spread and eventually rose to meme-levels. Even now, it's a common saying to hear among gamers, and it even appears in shorthand by responding with an 'F' to unfortunate news or circumstances.
Ultimately, memes are subjective, and video game memes are no exception - some people may find them growing old and unfunny long before others do. But in the eyes of other individuals, certain memes are evergreen and never lose their sense of hilarity. While there's no definitive list of memes that will never grow old, these candidates can still be seen in frequent circulation today.