The flare is a battle item in Lost Ark, the action MMORPG developed by Smilegate and published in the West by Amazon Games. In Guardian Raids, players throw it to light up the area and reveal the Guardian's position, which is why the sound is tied to moments of discovery. Clips of the effect began circulating on soundboards and in raid highlight videos as players shared funny wipes and clean clears. It remains in use because Lost Ark's raid community still treats the flare toss as a universal signal that the hunt is on.