The 'Walking Simulator' meme emerged from the gaming community as a critique of titles that prioritize narrative and atmosphere over traditional action mechanics. While originally used as a derogatory term for indie titles like Dear Esther, it reached peak cultural relevance with the release of Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding. The meme typically highlights the irony of paying full price for a high-budget game only to spend hours navigating terrain. It is widely used to poke fun at fetch quests, slow-paced RPGs, or the general exhaustion felt when traveling across massive open-world maps without fast-travel options.