Meaning
What does Press X to Doubt mean?
“Press X to doubt” also referred to as “L.A. Noire doubt” is a reaction image, originating from Rockstar Games’ “L.A. Noire” where players take on the role of a detective officer.
The reaction image macro is used online to express disbelief and suspicion in relation to a statement, thread or headline.
MRW people say I can’t make a higher quality “Press X to Doubt” reaction image
Origin
What's the origin of Press X to Doubt?
Rockstar Games released “L.A. Noire” on May 17th, 2011, taking players to experience the job of detective Cole Phelps, interrogating witnesses and suspects across Los Angeles.
While interrogating, the player has the option of taking three actions after each statement of subjects; these are accepting the statement as truthful, doubting it or confronting the subject and accusing them of lying.
The image macro depicts the protagonist with a doubtful expression on his face, combined with the command prompt “X doubt” or “press X to doubt”.
The first case of the meme appeared on FunnyJunk on December 4th, 2012.
Spread & Usage
How did Press X to Doubt spread?
“Press X to doubt” would become a popular theme on FunnyJunk, reoccurring frequently in 2012 and 2013, also appearing on Tumblr, Reddit and 9GAG.
The format is still widely in use as of May 25th, 2021.
External resources
- Screenrant.com – What Game Is X To Doubt Meme From?
- Reddit – r/MemeEconomy