Rust memes revolve around the brutal, unforgiving nature of Facepunch Studios' survival hit. Since its early access debut in 2013, the community has generated endless content focusing on the steep learning curve, the notorious toxicity of the player base, and the heartbreak of being offlined—having your base destroyed while you are logged out. Common tropes include the naked fresh spawn armed only with a rock, the deceptive 'I'm friendly!' shout over proximity chat, and the intense power disparity between massive clans and struggling solo players. These memes serve as a cathartic way for players to bond over the shared trauma of losing hundreds of hours of progress to a well-placed explosive charge.