The Backrooms, a liminal space so internet-famous it spawned its own canon, has been found in the real world by 4 sleuths on a Discord server

The origin of the Backrooms, a photo of a liminal space deemed so eerie it earned internet and gaming stardom, has been uncovered by four image-savvy detectives scrubbing 4chan, and a chance encounter with an archived internet page from 2003. 

In case you're unfamiliar with what the Backrooms are, here's the rundown. In 2019, an image was posted to 4chan displaying an eerie set of rooms devoid of natural light—capturing people's imaginations so vividly that it spawned its own lore. 

It's considered a liminal space, which is loosely defined as an area that's not quite surreal, but getting close. It's the manmade equivalent of the uncanny valley, a building or a space crafted from normal parts, but arranged in an abnormal and unsettling way. Hallways that lead to nowhere, rooms serving no natural purpose, brutalist interiors with flickering lights or, in some cases, swimming pools. There's no exact criteria for what comprises a liminal space—you know one when you see one. Also, maybe there's a spooky little monster that'll jump you and steal all your bones.

That last bit has been the origin of a lot of indie horror games including (deep breath) Escape the Backrooms, Inside the Backrooms, Backrooms Rec, The Backrooms 1998, and many more derivatives that don't quite mirror the Backrooms, though quoteth its vibe. 

There's even an SCP-style wiki page documenting heaps of levels, ranging from accursed farmsteads to a roller rink spanning hundreds of miles. References have also made their way into other games—in Remnant 2, for example, you need to access the Backrooms to unlock a secret archetype. 

What scaffolding underpins this sprawling labyrinth of internet culture? Turns out, a humble racing hobby shop that was having some renovations over two decades ago. Speaking with 404Media's Jason Koebler, the sleuths said their investigation into this uncanny space spanned multiple years, inspired by a 2022 video from liminal aficionado Virtual Carbon. Taking to the YouTuber's