The Vault Boy Hold Up meme is a black-and-white image of the Fallout video game character holding his palms out in a “slow down” gesture.
Meme basics
- Meme creator: Unknown (anonymous)
- Meme type: Exploitable, Image macro
- First appearance: September 2017
- Origin source: 4chan
- Popular variations: Many other memes feature Vault Boy. Other memes use the phrase “hold up,” sometimes with a character posing similarly to Vault Boy.
- Peak popularity: May 2019
Origin
Vault Boy is a character in Fallout. He is the corporate mascot of Vault-Tec Corporation, an in-game defense entity that works with the federal government in the game’s canon. The character is widely used throughout the Fallout games.
The Vault Boy HoldUup meme first appeared online in Sep. 2017 on 4chan per Know Your Meme. It was used in a thread as a reaction to its subject.
As the meme spread, it became a popular reaction to absurd headlines or images.
Cultural context and spread
The reaction meme got views just weeks before the game’s 20th anniversary. To celebrate that anniversary, the video game platform Steam made Fallout free for a limited time, allowing more gamers to try the game and participate in its jokes and culture.
The following year, the image appeared on Reddit, where it started getting circulated more. The May 2019 spike in the meme’s popularity also had to do with news within the fandom. It coincided with updates to Fallout ’76.
It was also that month that GameInformer named Fallout one of the Top 100 RPGs of All Time. The beloved game ranked 39 on the list, though some fans argued it deserved a higher spot.
Meme examples
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- ‘Ah sh*t, here we go again’ meme is here to express your frustration
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