Flashbang grenades are real non-lethal devices, but this sound became familiar through tactical first-person shooters where a thrown flash blinds and deafens opponents for a few seconds. Clips of the bang and ringing spread from gameplay recordings into meme edits, prank videos and soundboards, often alongside other shooter callouts like bomb has been planted. Because the effect is so recognisable, creators now use it outside gaming too, whenever a character needs to look stunned, exposed or caught by a sudden bright surprise.