The Reaper horn first appeared as the signature call of the Reapers, the ancient machine race threatening the galaxy in Mass Effect 3, released in 2012. In the game it plays when the Reapers arrive, turning exploration into dread in a single note. Clips of the sound spread through gameplay videos, edits and soundboards, where creators reused it far beyond Mass Effect as a universal signal of doom. Its deep horn sound echoes the cinematic BRAAAM style, and it endures because listeners instantly associate that low blast with an unstoppable force arriving.