Sand King first appeared as a hero in the original DotA custom map for Warcraft III before returning in Valve's Dota 2, which launched in 2013. In game he is a scorpion-like initiator known for Burrowstrike and his ultimate Epicenter, and his response lines play during matches as he moves, attacks and scores kills. Players clipped his deeper laugh responses and shared them on soundboards and in stream highlights, where the short clip became a quick way for Dota fans to signal smug amusement without using a full voice line.