In the early 2010s, WMV (Windows Media Video) was a standard format for sharing clips online. Its slightly compressed, sometimes "crunchy" quality added to the aesthetic of the creepypasta. It made the footage feel like a raw, unedited recording from an old capture card, enhancing the "found footage" realism that made the story so believable to young audiences.
The video file—typically formatted as a Windows Media Video—serves as a "glitch tape," showing the game world breaking down. Players witness: ben872.wmv
: A character whose laugh loops infinitely as the game’s music plays in reverse. In the early 2010s, WMV (Windows Media Video)
The file is a pivotal video within the " Ben Drowned " legend, one of the internet's most famous "creepypastas" and alternate reality games (ARGs) . Created by Alex Hall (known as "Jadusable") in 2010, the story centers on a haunted Nintendo 64 cartridge of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask . The video file—typically formatted as a Windows Media
If you were lurking on the internet around 2010, you might remember the chilling sensation of watching a distorted Link burn alive in a glitchy version of Majora’s Mask . This wasn't just a random bug; it was the birth of , a story that redefined digital horror. At the heart of this mystery is a file that still gives gamers chills: ben872.wmv . What is ben872.wmv?
Here is a blog post exploring the mystery and legacy of this digital ghost story. The Ghost in the Machine: Unpacking ben872.wmv
: A creepy, hollow-eyed statue of Link that follows the player relentlessly.