The sound comes from the Angry Video Game Nerd, the long-running review series created by James Rolfe, where he plays notoriously difficult and poorly designed retro games. Short reaction clips from the show became staples on soundboards because his frustrated delivery is instantly recognisable to retro gaming fans. The rolling rock moment in particular spread through meme edits and gameplay videos, where it works as shorthand for an unfair obstacle. It remains popular because it pairs a familiar voice with a simple visual gag that needs no explanation.