The Jockey was introduced in Left 4 Dead 2, released by Valve in 2009, as a new Special Infected designed to steer survivors away from their team. Its manic laugh and rarara vocalisations were a warning sign in game, letting players hear danger before seeing it. Clips of the sound later spread through gaming videos, soundboards and meme edits, where the short burst became shorthand for a frantic ambush. It remains popular because it is instantly recognisable to players and still unsettling to anyone hearing it for the first time.