Sonic.exe began as a creepypasta story posted online in 2011 about a haunted Sonic the Hedgehog game cartridge, and the character quickly spread across fan games, videos and forums. The laugh became a shorthand for that corrupted version of Sonic, separate from the official games. As horror edits grew on YouTube and TikTok, creators reused the clip alongside other staples like the fnaf 2 scream for jumpscares. It remains distinct from the oh no no no laugh, which is played for comedy, because this version signals a genuine horror turn.