The line originates in Valve's Counter-Strike series, first released in 2000, where the announcer confirms a successful plant and starts the detonation timer for the round. Players heard bomb has been planted thousands of times alongside other radio calls like Enemy Spotted, so both phrases became shorthand for tactical shooters online. Clips and soundboards spread the recording beyond the game during the rise of meme edits and streaming, and its flat official tone still works as an instant signal that a timed threat is now active.