Everyone loves a pleasant little surprise, whether it’s your partner surprising you with coffee or finding an unexpected $10 bill in your pocket. But when real life starts to feel like a video game and you discover a clever little surprise out of nowhere, just turn to the In Real Life Easter Eggs subreddit to share your joy. This group, which was created in 2015, has amassed an impressive 517k followers over the past 8 years. The rules are simple: only share IRL Easter eggs, don’t repost recent or popular content, and don’t share any barcode posts. But the group is exactly what many of us need: cute clever moments in the most unexpected places.
“You know in games or movies when you find an odd little secret that someone in production left unnoticed for the few in the audience that would look for it or happen to stumble upon it?” the group’s description asks. “This is the place to share those things you find in real life.” The moderators note that this isn’t the area for posting digital Easter eggs, as in screenshots or photographs of screens (games, computer software, TV series, DVD menus), as those are regular Easter eggs. But if you’ve come across something that would make video game designers jealous that they didn’t think of it first, go ahead and share it with the rest of us!
To learn more about the digital versions of Easter eggs that inspired this group in the first place, we reached out to Marshall Gunnell at VGKAMI, an independent online gaming authority, and he was kind enough to have a chat with us. “Easter eggs are definitely an important part of video games, though they aren't essential to the core gameplay mechanics,” he told Bored Panda. “They add an extra layer of enjoyment and immersion to a game by providing a fun surprise for players to discover. They can take many forms, such as secret rooms, hidden levels, or even pop culture references.”
We were also curious why gamers love finding these eggs so much. “Discovering Easter eggs in video games is often a thrilling experience for gamers,” Marshall says. “It feels like you're discovering a secret that no one else has seen before.”
“Easter eggs often serve as a form of reward or recognition for players who are paying close attention to the game,” Marshall explained. “Game developers like including Easter eggs in their games because it's a fun way to show off their creativity and engage with the community. Players love sharing their discoveries with others, which helps build a sense of camaraderie and excitement around a game.”
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Marshall also shared his personal favorite Easter egg with Bored Panda: the “Konami Code”, which originated in the 1986 game Gradius, developed by Konami. “The Konami Code is a cheat code that allows players to unlock various bonuses in many Konami games,” he explained. “[It] is entered by pressing a specific, and now very popular, sequence of buttons, ‘up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A,’ followed by the ‘start’ button. The Konami Code has become a cultural phenomenon and has been referenced in numerous other video games, movies, TV shows, and even websites.”
Marshall even knew of some IRL Easter eggs that we can all keep an eye out for. “The hidden Mickeys at Disney theme parks were always fun to seek out. These are small, hidden images of Mickey Mouse that are tucked away in various locations throughout the parks, like on rides, signs, and buildings,” he shared.
“Easter eggs are an important part of video game culture, and they can add to the enjoyment and longevity of a game by rewarding players who are willing to explore and discover hidden secrets,” Marshall told Bored Panda. “Easter eggs can be a way for game developers to express their creativity and add an extra layer of depth and meaning to a game, whether it's through a hidden message or a clever gameplay mechanic. And while some Easter eggs might be more well-known than others, the joy of discovery and the sense of community that comes from sharing and discussing Easter eggs with others is something that many gamers can relate to and appreciate.”
If you’d like to learn even more about Easter eggs when it comes to gaming, you can read more about them on VGKAMI right here!
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When it comes to why game developers leave little Easter eggs like these in their games, Juan at KJC eSports says, “The eggs we find in games are unimportant when you look at them logically. However, eggs provide something meaningful to gamers and developers. It is always fun to see something new in our favorite video games, especially knowing that it’s not needed for the game to progress.”
“Easter eggs are usually just elements the developers decided on a whim,” he goes on to write. “The hidden secrets in a game frequently contain something personal about the developer who put it there in the first place. Knowing this just highlights how wholesome the gaming community is, and it assures us that the developers themselves are gamers just like us.” Easter eggs are a great reminder that nobody’s sense of humor or personality vanishes just because they’re at work, designing a game or a piece of clothing. We all love the opportunity to learn more about the people behind these brands, and if we have the chance to include easter eggs of our own, why pass up on the opportunity?
“These added extra hidden elements in a game feel just like little drops of love from the developers themselves to our gamers,” Juan goes on to write. “Personally, the eggs in every game serve as a bridge of connection between myself and the developers. I appreciate that little extra effort that goes along with implementing eggs in a game.”
“The eggs in-game designs bring that extra satisfaction points in surprising players. When players have established expectations for the game, players will have a strong sense of surprise if the results in the experience process far exceed their expectations,” he adds. “For game designers, if they add some elements to the game like Easter eggs, the designer will have a more personal connection with the game and will be more attentive to it. It’s like your own game and the part you designed on your own, not just a game development project you’re involved in.”
