It started with a tweet about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Not exactly the kind of thing you’d expect to become a permanent fixture of internet lexicon, but then again, the internet is weird. Back in 2019, a PC Gamer writer mentioned using a mod to slow the game down because the boss fights were just too punishing. It was an honest admission. But the response? That was something else entirely. One Twitter user, @Fetus_Chrizius, fired back with a post that would eventually be etched into the digital hall of fame. They told the writer: "You cheated not only the game, but yourself."
The post didn't stop there. It went on to claim the writer didn't grow, didn't improve, and essentially took a hollow victory that provided no real satisfaction. It was peak "gamer elitism," delivered with such intense, dramatic sincerity that it immediately looped back around to being hilarious.
People didn't just disagree. They made it a copypasta.
The Birth of a Legend: From Sekiro to Copypasta
The core of the "You cheated not only the game but yourself" meme is its sheer, unadulterated earnestness. In the context of FromSoftware games—titles like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring—the community has always had a "git gud" streak. It’s a subculture that prizes overcoming immense difficulty. When someone suggests that the difficulty is a barrier to entry or that they used a "cheat" to see the credits roll, it hits a nerve.
But this specific response was so wordy. So philosophical. It read like a villain's monologue from a low-budget anime.
The original tweet followed a very specific structure. It told the author they "didn't grow," they "didn't improve," and they "made a mockery of the game." It was the kind of lecture you'd expect from a sensei in a mountain dojo, not a guy on Twitter talking about a ninja video game. Within hours, the gaming community realized they had found gold. Suddenly, people weren't just using it for Sekiro. They were using it for everything.
You used a microwave for your popcorn? You cheated not only the game but yourself. You skipped the intro of a Netflix show? You cheated not only the game but yourself.
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Why It Stuck
Memes usually die in a week. This one stayed. Honestly, it’s because it perfectly captures the tension between "hardcore" enthusiasts and "casual" players. It mocks the idea that how you spend your free time has some deep, moral weight. Most people play games to relax. The idea that you have committed a spiritual transgression by lowering the difficulty is objectively funny.
But there's also the "E-E-A-T" factor of the meme itself. It survived because it was adaptable. It became a template for any situation where someone took a shortcut. We see this in other niches too. In the fitness world, if you use a lifting strap, there’s always one guy in the comments saying you’re cheating your grip strength. In the cooking world, using pre-minced garlic is a sin to some. The meme gave us a way to mock that specific brand of gatekeeping.
The Psychological Hook: Why We Care About Cheating
Why did that original tweet get so much traction? It’s because it tapped into a real psychological concept: the labor-effort effect. We tend to value things more when we work harder for them. It's why a meal you cooked yourself usually tastes better than a microwave dinner, even if the microwave dinner is technically more consistent.
When someone says you cheated not only the game but yourself, they are arguing that the value of the experience is tied exclusively to the friction.
If there's no friction, is there any value?
From a game design perspective, developers like Hidetaka Miyazaki have actually weighed in on this—not on the meme specifically, but on the philosophy of difficulty. Miyazaki has stated in interviews (like his 2022 discussion with The New Yorker) that he doesn't want to exclude players, but the "hardship" is what gives meaning to the experience. He wants players to feel that sense of accomplishment. The meme is just the extreme, gatekeeper version of that very real design philosophy.
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Cultural Impact and the "Cope" Era
As the 2020s progressed, the meme evolved. It entered the "cope" and "seethe" era of internet slang. Now, when someone uses the copypasta, it’s rarely used seriously. It’s used as a weaponized irony.
If a professional player loses a match and blames "lag," someone will inevitably drop the "you cheated not only the game but yourself" line. It has become a way to tell someone they are taking themselves—and their hobbies—way too seriously.
- The Original Context: Serious elitism.
- The Second Wave: Pure mockery through copypasta.
- The Modern Usage: A shorthand for any situation involving shortcuts or lack of effort.
We see this everywhere. On Reddit threads about AI art, the comments are often flooded with variations of the phrase. If you didn't pick up a brush and spend ten years learning anatomy, did you "cheat yourself" out of the artistic process? The meme provides a framework for these debates, even if the person posting it is just doing it for the laughs.
Real-World Examples of the Meme in Action
Look at the launch of Elden Ring. When the "Mimic Tear" spirit ash was discovered to be incredibly powerful, the "you cheated not only the game but yourself" discourse returned with a vengeance. Some players argued that using summons was "easy mode." Others countered that the developers put the mechanic in the game, so it’s fair play.
The meme acted as a bridge. It allowed people to acknowledge the "hardcore" stance while simultaneously making fun of how ridiculous it sounds to care that much about how a stranger plays a single-player game.
Is There Any Truth to the Statement?
Kinda. Sorta. If we're being totally honest, there is a tiny grain of truth buried under the mountain of irony.
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Think about "God Mode" in old games. It's fun for about ten minutes. You walk through walls, you explode every enemy with one click, and you're invincible. But then, the boredom sets in. The "game" part of the video game disappears because the stakes are gone. In that very specific, narrow sense, you are cheating yourself out of the intended experience of tension and release.
But—and this is a big "but"—not everyone wants that experience. Some people have jobs. Some people have kids. Some people have ten minutes to play before they pass out from exhaustion. For them, "cheating" is the only way to see the story they paid $60 for. The "You cheated not only the game but yourself" guy didn't account for the fact that "growth" isn't everyone's goal when they turn on a console. Sometimes the goal is just... fun.
The Legacy of a Twitter Rant
What can we learn from this? Mostly that the internet has a long memory for self-importance. The second you try to tell people they are "living wrong" because they aren't struggling enough with a digital hobby, you've lost.
The phrase has been referenced in other games, mocked by developers, and used in countless YouTube video essays. It stands as a warning to anyone who thinks their way of enjoying media is the only "correct" way.
How to Use the Phrase Today
If you’re going to use it, you’ve gotta know the timing.
- Use it ironically: Only post it when someone does something incredibly mundane (like using a GPS to find a grocery store).
- Keep the formatting: The "You didn't grow. You didn't improve." part is essential. Without the build-up, the punchline doesn't land.
- Know your audience: Most gamers get it. Your grandmother probably won't, and she'll think you're actually mad at her for using a bread machine.
Actionable Takeaways for Navigating Gaming Culture
- Ignore the Gatekeepers: Gaming is a massive medium. Whether you play on "Easy" or "Ultra-Hardcore Permadeath," the only person who needs to be satisfied is you.
- Understand "Intentional Play": Before using a mod or a cheat, ask yourself what you want out of the session. If you want a challenge, push through. If you want the story, use the tools available.
- Appreciate the History: Next time you see a "hard" game, remember the Sekiro tweet. It’s a reminder that the community is as much about the memes as it is about the mechanics.
- Check the Source: Whenever you see a viral gaming take, look for the original thread. Usually, the most "iconic" lines come from someone being unintentionally funny by being too serious.
The next time you're tempted to skip a tutorial or look up a guide for a puzzle, just remember: someone out there thinks you're "mocking" the game. Smile, do it anyway, and enjoy your time. You aren't cheating yourself out of anything as long as you're having a good time. Except maybe the "git gud" merit badge, but honestly, those don't trade for much these days anyway.