The 'I Love' meme stems from the indie horror title R.E.P.O., a game known for its gritty aesthetic and surreal interactions. The template typically captures a character or UI element displaying an intense, often unsettling declaration of affection. Fans of the game began using the 'I Love' text overlay to juxtapose the game's dark atmosphere with humorous or oddly specific modern obsessions. It has since become a staple for the indie gaming community on social media to express deep, ironic, or creepy devotion to various topics while maintaining the signature lo-fi horror style of the original game.