Sonic.exe began as a creepypasta horror take on Sonic the Hedgehog that spread online in the early 2010s and inspired many fan games, including a 2011 remake project that reworked the original story. Its chase sequence became the most shared moment, and the chasing theme travelled with clips of the pursuit across video and soundboard sites. The sound now sits alongside horror staples like the FNAF jumpscare scream in meme edits, where an instant blast of dread is the whole joke and the pursuit needs no explanation.