KYM Review: The Top 10 Gaming Memes Of 2020

his has been quite the year for gaming, to say the least. From major hardware upgrades hitting the PC world and next-gen consoles dropping just a month ago to highly anticipated titles releasing throughout 2020, not to mention the fact that lockdowns have driven up sales and screen time remarkably since March, video games have remained a prominent topic all year long.

With such an extensive presence in pop culture this year, it’s no surprise that gaming memes have also been more commonplace in the online world than ever before, often transcending core communities and becoming mainstream trends.

Given the sheer amount of such memes this year, narrowing them down to the most notable was a bit tricky, but we’ve compiled the top 10 gaming memes of 2020 in no particular order to recap a year that will be remembered by delays and finally getting that chance to avoid human interaction for months on end while you hole up in your home in pure gamer bliss.

Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 Console War

Despite only being released about a month ago, the next-gen consoles have been a major topic of memes all year long. With Sony and its PlayStation 5 and Microsoft with its Xbox Series X (and Series S), the revived console war between both sides’ fanboys resulted in a wide array of memes revolving around each. Much like seemingly every hot new tech product in 2020, demand far outweighed supply, so although many eager consumers have yet to even get their hands on one, Xbox and PlayStation memes have been a noteworthy feature this year.

XSX Design Parodies and PS5 Design Parodies

The biggest meme material in this category was easily about the controversial designs of both the XSX and PS5. With its blocky, rectangular build, the new Xbox became the subject of numerous design parodies that lit up social media with a throng of memes. Perhaps the most notable were those that compared it to a fridge, which Microsoft then turned into a real-life product as part of a publicity campaign just before launch.

Much like the XSX, the contentious design of the PS5 console with its flashy wings also sparked a series of design parodies, which depicted things like the PS5 as PS2 wedged between a binder or its likeness to WiFi routers. Memes poking fun at Sony’s new console were hilarious and creative as memers continuously found unique ways to photoshop it into countless pop culture references and more.

Cyberpunk 2077

After a series of delays that pushed Cyberpunk 2077 back month after month until nearly 2021, CD Projekt Red’s immensely hyped-up RPG set in the cyberpunk universe finally released in early December. With at least eight years of development behind it, fans were frothing at the mouth for years on end as more and more enticing details were drip-fed leading up to launch, resulting in a classic case of overhyped expectations for a game that was easily the most anticipated title in years. In the end, last-gen console gamers got a bit shafted, some fell victim to over-promised expectations, while others merely enjoy the game for what it is. Throughout all of this, Cyberpunk 2077 produced more sub-entries and standalone memes than any other game in 2020.

Genital Customization and Penis 2

Back in May, news broke about the game’s genital customization during character creation and almost instantly became the subject of memes. Originating primarily on Reddit and then spreading to pretty much every platform online, the feature produced countless depictions of what custom genitalia might look like in the game, from cursed images, recycled meme formats and more.

Upon Cyberpunk 2077’s launch, one of the most common meme themes referred to the infamous Penis 2, a customization option during character creation. As seen with the genital customization memes over the summer, players had the option to select between Penis 1 (uncircumcised) or Penis 2 (circumcised) for both male and female avatars. The sheer humor of the name gave life to one of the earliest trends in Cyberpunk memes upon release.

Delay Message Parodies

As we mentioned earlier, Cyberpunk 2077’s numerous delays were also prominent among its memes and discussion. CDPR’s infamous announcements on social media produced a well-known, bright-yellow square with black text that became the subject of various memes. These delay message parodies reached their peak in October after the game’s third delay, and meme creators have found an array of use for the format ever since.

Nomad / Street Kid / Corpo

Also referencing in-game customization, the Nomad, Street Kid and Corpo lifepaths inspired a series of parodies where the three options were replaced with different pictures of the same person or character representing each unique backstory. From Pokemon to internet celebrities and more, meme creators found numerous ways to put their own spin on a range of different images.

V's Bed / Sleeping Position

Needless to say, Cyberpunk had quite a plethora of bugs during the launch that enraged some and humored others. Whether a bug or feature, V’s sideways sleeping position in bed proved to be an early source of meme material. As players attempted to wrap their heads around how one could even lay in a bed like that, memes quickly sprang up on multiple platforms revolved around the theme.

Cyberpunk Character Creations

Hailing back to the days of Fallout 4 character creations in 2015, memes depicting the in-game character creation mode rounded out the last big trend of Cyberpunk’s release. Using the in-game engine or photoshopped images, users around the web produced a slew of funny avatars like Handsome Squidward and Hide the Pain Harold. Despite some expressing disappointment in the level of character customization options, the parody memes became a hit immediately upon launch.

The Last of Us Part II

Finally following up to Naughty Dog’s 2013 action-adventure game, The Last of Us Part II was released in June to a curious mix of acclaim from critics and hate from users. The sequel follows the tale of Ellie, the deuteragonist of the first game, five years after the events of part one. Regardless of whether you enjoyed or loathed it, TLOU2 made its mark on meme culture this year through a number of formats and themes.

Abby Choke Edits / Bite Edits / Buttsex Edits and Lev Punch Edits

Most notably of TLOU2’s memes was the throng of redraws depicting various in-game scenes reimagined with characters from other video games, anime, movies, films and more. Centered around the game’s antagonist Abby, three unique redraw series spawned in the form of Choke Edits or Chokeposting, Bite Edits or Biteposting and Buttsex Edits. All originating from 4chan's /v/ board between May and June, hundreds of humorous fan labors rapidly spread across the net to other sites such as Twitter, producing some amazingly creative mashups.

Aside from Abby’s redraws, Lev Punch Edits depicting a scene where the character Lev is punched by a member of the Rattlers gang also spawned a memorable series of redraws. Similar to Abby’s, these memes proved extremely versatile encompassing a broad number of pop culture figures in place of the in-game characters. Additionally, memers coined the man throwing the punch “Fat Geralt” as a humorous reference to The Witcher’s white-haired hero.

Name a Character Who Went Through More Pain Than Her

Rounding out TLOU2’s best memes of 2020 is the viral tweet Name a Character Who Went Through More Pain Than Her. After sparking a heated debate between Twitter users upon release, the tweet was mocked endlessly through a series of memes showing other individuals who endured more pain than Ellie — mostly in jest.

Bugsnax

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one, Bugsnax was a seemingly insignificant indie game that debuted during Sony’s "The Future of Gaming Show" back in June. Though no one likely expected it to be a hit, the game’s made a surprising mark in meme culture this year for its quirky concept, gameplay and an absolute banger of a theme song from Kero Kero Bonito.

Set on the fictional “Snaktooth Island” that’s home to creatures comprised of various foods (half bug, half snack), the player controls a journalist sent to document and discover the strange land and its inhabitants. Whether genuine or sarcastic, some have even touted Bugsnax as “Game of the Year” after other highly anticipated titles turned out worse than expected.

Halo Infinite

Originally supposed to be released this year, Halo Infinite was delayed after its showcase in July but made its mark on memes nonetheless. Plotwise, the game follows 2015's Halo 5 Guardians and was described by Microsoft as one of the major selling points of the Xbox Series X. After fans reacted poorly to the graphics during the trailer and premiere, it seems the devs decided to polish it up a bit more ahead of launch — but that didn’t stop the memes.

Craig the Brute

Easily the biggest breakout star of the upcoming Halo was Craig the Brute, an infamous, nondescript enemy that appeared for only a short moment during the demo. His minuscule screentime didn’t stop the internet from latching on and giving life to one of the biggest gaming memes of the summer as his image was edited and photoshopped into countless memes all over the web.

Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout

Before Among Us stole the limelight, Fall Guys was the hottest game in meme culture for quite some time. Based around a 60-man free-for-all, players must survive a vibrant obstacle course with only one being crowned the ultimate victor. Sharing similarities to shows like Wipeout, the game was picked up by numerous streamers including TimTheTatMan, whose quest for the crown became one the most viral moments in gaming all year long.

Fall Guys' Yellow Team

The most memorable meme to come out of Fall Guys revolved around the notorious Yellow Team, which portrayed the randomly assigned team color as the worst of the four options since these players tended to lose significantly more. The trend became so well-known among the game’s community that players on the red and blue teams often tended to gang up on yellow in matches. Naturally, this phenomenon wound up the subject of many memes during its height.

The Henry Stickmin Collection

Making a surprise return in 2020, The Henry Stickmin Collection of flash video games about the adventures of thief Henry Stickmin and his attempts to bring down a crime syndicate became a noteworthy meme in August. Originally created by indie developer PuffballsUnlimited for Newgrounds and StickPage, the 2020 release of the complete series on Steam and a new installment kicked off a massive resurgence for the classic flash game — and even a unique meme format.

Distraction Dance

Although simply one part of the game’s meme trend this year, Distraction Dance or You Have Been Distracted gained significant attention as a form of bait-and-switch videos where Henry Stickmin uses a humorous dance to distract two guards in-game. Ultimately, the clip of Henry dancing found its way into several other meme formats, viral videos and other media near the end of the summer.

Among Us

You’d be hard-pressed to find another game that was more prominent in meme culture over the course of 2020 than Among Us. Originally released in late 2018, the game is essentially a multiplayer murder mystery involving up to 10 crewmates as they attempt to identify and eliminate the imposters who need to kill everyone else before the ship is repaired. Sitting in relative obscurity for nearly two years, Among Us exploded in popularity between July and August thanks to several major Twitch streamers putting a spotlight on it. From there, the game seemed to dominate most meme circles for a remarkable amount of time, as well as spawning additional unique formats of its own.

There Is 1 Impostor Among Us

Up first of the various Among Us memes is There Is 1 Impostor Among Us, which refers to the in-game starting screen shown at the beginning of each round. The format gained popularity online as source material for edits, photoshops and even a snowclone depicting characters from many other references in pop culture.

Sus

Though the slang term “sus” is far older than Among Us, the game undoubtedly sparked a resurgence in its use through both memes and players merely using the term in matches. An abbreviated version of “suspicious,” sus is used in the game with players are suspected of being an impostor. Coinciding with the game’s peak, the term wound up a trending expression in 2020.

Impostor of the Vent

Evoking themes from precursor memes such as Panzer of the Lake, Impostor of the Vent is a two-panel exploitable format between a crewmate and impostor who shares knowledge on a range of topics. While not quite as widespread as other Among Us memes, the format circulated on Reddit throughout late summer and early fall, easily being adapted for a range of use.

Genshin Impact

A gacha game developed by miHiYo released in September for mobile platforms, consoles and PC, Genshin Impact briefly trended in the gaming community with many comparing it to Breath of the Wild for its art style and open world. Depicted in countless fan arts, the game also produced a few series of memes revolving around its quirky characters, dialogue and other elements.

Paimon Emergency Food

The most prominent meme to stem from Genshin Impact, Paimon Emergency Food revolves around the character Paimon and a one-off joke during the beginning of the game. After Paimon is initially introduced, the player refers to her as “Emergency Food,” which subsequently set off a chain of memes and various fan art between September and October.

Mr. Krabs Overdoses on Ketamine

Not the first example of a meme being transformed into a full-blown video game, Mr. Krabs Overdoses on Ketamine initially began as a series of memes in which Mr. Krabs has an exaggerated addiction to the drug ketamine. It was marginally used in memes before it took off in November after game designer ThrillDaWill published a video game based on the concept, kicking off a resurgence of interest as streamers began speedrunning its hilarious and ridiculous footage.

Honorable Mention: Call of Duty Warzone and Gulag Memes

Debuting to the world back in March, Call of Duty Warzone was Activision’s first dive into the crowded sea of battle royale games. During the onset of lockdowns due to COVID-19, the game became a popular free-to-play title, appearing in many memes over the course of the year. Most notable of these memes was the series revolving around Warzone’s Gulag mode, which pits two players eliminated from the main action against each other for a chance to return to the battlefield. Typically such memes referenced the premise of deceased people fighting each other for a chance to come back to life.

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Looking for more of this year's best viral phenomena and memes? Be sure to check out our other 2020 meme roundups below:

• The Top 10 Memes Of 2020
• The Top Meme Revivals of 2020
• The Horny, Bewildering Slang of 2020
• Top Wojaks of the Year
• The Most '2020' Stories Of 2020
• 10 Best TikToks Of 2020
• Best Meme Creators Of 2020
• Breakthrough Formats Of The Year
• The Memes That Defined The Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020