The 'Horse Armor' meme originates from the 2006 release of the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's downloadable content, which offered cosmetic barding for player horses at a price of 200 Microsoft Points ($2.50). While seemingly minor at the time, the gaming community reacted with outrage and mockery, viewing it as the catalyst for the modern era of aggressive microtransactions and low-value DLC. Today, the Horse Armor serves as a symbolic 'Patient Zero' for the monetization of digital aesthetics in video games. It is frequently invoked in discussions about industry greed, the evolution of live-service games, and the historical shift in how players are charged for extra content.