Team Fortress 2 is Valve's team-based multiplayer shooter, first released in 2007, and the frying pan is one of its most recognisable melee weapons because of the loud clang it makes on impact. The sound travelled beyond the game through gameplay clips, funny moments compilations, and short-form edits, where players used it to exaggerate hits and fails. It later appeared on meme soundboards alongside other game effects, keeping it familiar to people who never played TF2. Its short length and clear comic timing help explain why editors still reach for it.