All Your Base Are Belong To Us

All Your Base Are Belong To Us
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Title	All Your Base Are Belong To Us
Developer	Toaplan
Publisher	Sega
Platform	Sega Mega Drive
Released	1991
Genre	Shooter (video game genre)

All Your Base Are Belong To Us is a phrase originating from an English localization of the 1989 Japanese video game Zero Wing, later associated with a prominent early-2000s internet phenomenon. The phrase became emblematic of early viral culture, intersecting with communities around 4chan, Something Awful, Newgrounds, Reddit and Slashdot, and drawing commentary from mainstream outlets like The New York Times, Wired, BBC News, and USA Today. Its diffusion illustrates interactions among Internet culture, video game localization, memes in popular culture, fan communities, and legal questions about intellectual property.

Origins and Context

The phrase appears in the 1991 Sega Mega Drive/Genesis release of Zero Wing, developed by Toaplan and localized by Philips-related teams for Western markets; the Japanese original was produced by Tatsujin (Toaplan staff). The port and English script were created during a period when companies such as Sega and Konami expanded into Western markets alongside publishers like Capcom, Namco, Nintendo, and Square Enix. Contemporary localization practices at studios including Capcom USA, SNK Corporation USA, and Atari Corporation sometimes produced idiosyncratic translations similar to those seen in titles like Ghosts 'n Goblins and Dragon Quest IV. The release environment overlapped with events such as the rise of E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), the growth of communities on Usenet, and the expansion of bulletin board systems run by organizations such as Freenet and AOL.

The Phrase and Its Translation

The line derives from an in-game cutscene spoken by the character CATS, who addresses the player with lines that include “All your base are belong to us,” “You have no chance to survive make your time,” and “Take off every 'ZIG'.” Translation errors and syntactic inversion echo issues seen in other localized scripts like the early work of Square USA and translators affiliated with companies such as Working Designs. Linguistic comparisons have been made to mistranslations in works tied to Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto, and the phrase has been studied in contexts alongside localization studies and analyses in journals that also discuss titles by Satoshi Tajiri and Yuji Naka.

Spread and Viral Popularity

In the early 2000s the phrase spread through repositories and forums maintained by communities such as Something Awful, 4chan, Newgrounds, eBaum's World, and YTMND, and was amplified by media outlets including BBC News, The Guardian, The New York Times, and Entertainment Weekly. Fans remixed the line into music by artists in scenes connected to Netlabels and shared animated GIFs on services like Flickr, Photobucket, and early YouTube uploads. The meme intersected with events and platforms including SXSW, Comic-Con International, TED Conferences, and Mashable coverage, and was referenced by creators associated with Devo, Beastie Boys, Aphex Twin, and The Avalanches in discussions of sampling and remix culture.

Cultural Impact and Memes

The phrase catalyzed derivative works across media: Flash animations created by contributors linked to Newgrounds and Albino Blacksheep; music mashups circulated via Napster, LimeWire, and Winamp playlists; and image macros shared on forums like Something Awful, 4chan, and Fark. Parodies appeared in political and sporting contexts, being used on banners at events involving organizations such as FIFA, UEFA, NFL, Major League Baseball, and referenced in discussions on CNET, Wired, and The Washington Post. The meme's tropes influenced later memes including references in Rickrolling, LOLCats, Pepe the Frog, Trollface, and formats propagated on platforms like Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (now X).

Legal and Commercial Responses

The meme prompted responses from rights holders and commercial entities; companies including Atari, Sega of America, Toaplan's successors, and licensors such as Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft monitored unauthorized uses. Merchandise appeared through vendors like Hot Topic, ThinkGeek, and independent sellers on eBay and Etsy, raising questions similar to disputes involving Nintendo of America and Viacom over fan creations. Legal discussion invoked frameworks exemplified by cases involving RIAA and MPAA precedents and institutions like the United States Copyright Office, European Union Intellectual Property Office, and litigation involving entities such as Google and Yahoo! concerning user-generated content.

Legacy and Influence on Internet Culture

The phrase remains a touchstone in histories of early internet memes, cited in academic work from scholars connected to MIT Media Lab, Oxford Internet Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, and Stanford University; in books published by presses such as Oxford University Press and MIT Press; and in retrospectives by outlets like The Atlantic, Slate, and Smithsonian Magazine. It influenced standards in internet meme research, moderation practices on platforms including Reddit and Discord, and archival projects like Internet Archive, ArchiveTeam, and initiatives at Library of Congress. Its diffusion offers a case study alongside phenomena such as Slashdotting, blogospheres, viral marketing, and campaigns coordinated via Kickstarter and Patreon.

Category:Internet memes Category:Video game memes