Ever been walking down the street, seen a pile of trash or a specific type of industrial shelving, and felt a sudden, weird urge to check it for a GPU? If you have, you’re probably suffering from Tarkov brain. It’s a real thing. But lately, a specific phrase has been bubbling up in the community and spilling over into the rest of the internet: tarkov is this a reference.
At first glance, it sounds like a typical "is this a JoJo reference" riff. And honestly? It kinda is. But in the world of Norvinsk, nothing is ever quite that simple. This isn’t just a meme people shout when they see a can of condensed milk at the grocery store. It’s actually tied to a very specific, somewhat cryptic piece of content within Escape from Tarkov itself that has taken on a life of its own.
The Fence Quest That Started It All
So, where did this actually come from? If you’ve spent any time grinding reputation with Fence, you know his tasks can be… eccentric. He’s the guy who deals in the weird, the scavenged, and the unexplained. There is a literal quest in the game titled "Is This a Reference?" This isn't your standard "kill 15 scavs with a pistol" type of chore. Instead, Fence sends you on a scavenger hunt across maps like Streets of Tarkov and Customs to find specific, hidden easter eggs that the developers at Battlestate Games (BSG) tucked away. We’re talking about things like the "Stairway to Heaven" reference on Customs or the infamous "amphibian pizza lovers' hideout" on Streets (which is a clear nod to the Ninja Turtles).
The quest basically forced the player base to stop and look at the environment. Suddenly, every weird piece of graffiti or oddly placed prop wasn't just world-building; it was a potential objective. The community started flooding forums and Discords asking, "Wait, is this a reference?" for everything they found. The irony is that the game is so packed with nods to Russian pop culture, Western movies, and other video games that the answer is almost always yes.
Why the Meme Escaped the Game
The funny thing about Escape from Tarkov is how it colonizes your mind. Because the game is so hyper-realistic (and hyper-stressful), your brain starts to map the real world onto the game world. You see a green crate in an alleyway and your heart rate spikes. You see a "slickers" bar in a vending machine and you think about your metabolism stat.
This is where tarkov is this a reference really took flight. It became the ultimate inside joke for people who have been traumatized by the game.
- Real-world objects: Seeing a gold star ointment in a pharmacy? Tarkov is this a reference?
- Architecture: Seeing a brutalist concrete building while on vacation in Eastern Europe? Tarkov is this a reference?
- Other Games: Playing a different shooter and seeing a tactical reload? Tarkov is this a reference?
It’s a way for the community to acknowledge the shared "misery" of playing one of the most punishing games ever made. It’s conversational shorthand for "I’ve played this game so much I can’t see the world normally anymore."
Breaking Down the Layers of Meta-Humor
The joke actually goes deeper when you look at how BSG interacts with the community. Nikita Buyanov, the lead developer, is notorious for being "one of us." He sees the memes. He knows about the "Cheeki Breeki" remixes. He knows we call the AI scavs "terminators."
When BSG added the quest "Is This a Reference?", they weren't just giving us a mission. They were breaking the fourth wall. They were referencing the fact that the players were already looking for references. It’s meta-humor at its finest. It acknowledges that Tarkov isn't just a game anymore; it’s a cultural touchstone in the tactical shooter genre.
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Honestly, the phrase has become a bit of a defense mechanism. Tarkov is hard. Like, "lose your entire stash and uninstall in a rage" hard. Memeing about it—asking if every piece of junk is a reference—is how the community keeps its sanity. It’s a way to laugh at the absurdity of a game that asks you to spend 40 minutes creeping through a bush only to get shot in the head by a guy you never saw.
The Most Famous References in the Quest
If you're actually trying to complete the quest or just want to know what the fuss is about, here are a few of the spots that cemented the meme:
The "Nakatomi" Reference
On the Streets of Tarkov map, there’s a building that is a clear nod to Die Hard. When players found it, the "Is this a reference?" posts were everywhere. It’s subtle enough to feel like a secret but obvious enough for any movie buff to catch.
The Dark Souls Bonfire
There is a literal bonfire with a sword in it tucked away in one of the maps. Finding it feels like a weird collision of universes. It’s the ultimate "calm before the storm" moment in a game that otherwise gives you zero peace.
The Stalker Connection
Since Tarkov is the spiritual successor to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series in many ways, the game is littered with nods to the Zone. The phrase "A nu cheeki breeki i v damke!" is the ultimate reference, originating from the bandits in Stalker. At this point, asking if a Scav line is a reference is basically a rite of passage for new players.
How to Spot a "Tarkov Reference" in the Wild
If you want to join in on the joke, you just have to look for the "Tarkov aesthetic." This usually involves:
- Industrial Decay: Any photo of a rusted-out factory or a derelict Soviet-era apartment complex.
- Tactical Gear in Weird Places: A picture of someone wearing a Balaclava while doing something mundane like grocery shopping.
- Specific Loot Items: Tushonka (canned meat), WD-40, or those specific blue fuel cans.
The beauty of the meme is that it's infinitely adaptable. It doesn't require a high-effort Photoshop. It just requires a camera and a slightly broken sense of reality.
The Evolution of Gaming Memes in 2026
We've seen this happen before with games like Elden Ring (the "dog" memes) or Among Us. But Tarkov is different because the barrier to entry is so high. When someone uses the tarkov is this a reference line, it’s a "if you know, you know" moment. It’s a badge of honor that says you’ve survived a raid (or at least died trying).
As the game moves closer to its "1.0" release, these community-driven jokes are what keep the player base engaged during the long waits between wipes. It’s the social fabric of the game.
What to do next
If you're looking to actually complete the "Is This a Reference?" quest in-game, you’ll need to head to Streets of Tarkov first. Grab a light kit—you're going to be doing a lot of running. Start by looking for the "amphibian" hideout in the sewer river area. Just remember to bring some decent meds, because even if you're just looking for references, the Scavs will still shoot you on sight. If you're just here for the memes, keep an eye on the subreddit; the "real-life Tarkov" sightings are getting weirder every day.