The Elevator Game, also known as the Elevator to Another World, is a popular internet urban legend and paranormal ritual that supposedly allows participants to travel to another dimension or parallel universe. So what is the Elevator Game, what are the rules, and what is the history behind the phenomenon?
The game involves a series of steps that must be followed precisely, and any deviation can result in disastrous consequences. The origins of the Elevator Game are unknown, but it gained widespread popularity on social media and internet forums around 2015.
The Elevator Game Rules and How to Play
The game requires a building with at least ten floors and an elevator.
The player must begin the game alone and wait until midnight before entering the elevator on the first floor. The player must then follow a specific sequence of button presses on the elevator panel that will take them to the fifth floor.
Once they reach the fifth floor, according to the Elevator Game rules, they must not leave the elevator, and they must not look at or speak to anyone who enters the elevator on this floor. If someone does enter the elevator on the fifth floor, the player must repeat the sequence of button presses to return to the first floor and start the game over again another time.
If the player successfully reaches the fifth floor without any interruptions, they must then press the button for the second floor. Instead of going down to the second floor, the elevator will ascend to the tenth floor. Once the player reaches the tenth floor, they must not leave the elevator and must not look at or speak to anyone who enters the elevator on this floor.
At this point in the game, the player has supposedly entered another dimension or parallel universe.
The tenth floor will appear different from the other floors, and the air may feel colder or heavier. Some players have reported seeing strange symbols or hearing disembodied voices while on the tenth floor. The player must not leave the elevator at this point, and they must not press any buttons except for the button for the first floor. Pressing any other button can lead to disastrous consequences, including being trapped in the other dimension forever.
According to the Elevator Game rules, when the elevator reaches the first floor, the player must check that they have returned to their own dimension. They must look around and make sure that everything appears normal and familiar. Some players have reported that the first floor appears to be a replica of their own building, but with no one around. If the player is satisfied that they have returned to their own dimension, they can exit the elevator and end the game.
The Elevator Game rules are often accompanied by warnings about the dangers of playing it. Players have reported experiencing strange phenomena, such as feeling disoriented, seeing apparitions, or hearing strange noises. Some players claim to have encountered malevolent spirits or entities while playing the game. Others warn that playing the game can lead to physical or psychological harm, including becoming stuck in the other dimension or suffering from long-term effects on mental health.
Despite the warnings, many people have attempted to play the Elevator Game, often sharing their experiences on social media or online forums. Some players report feeling a sense of exhilaration or fear while playing the game, while others claim to have had no unusual experiences at all. Skeptics argue that the Elevator Game is nothing more than a dangerous hoax, and that the purported paranormal effects are simply the result of suggestion and suggestion.
The Elevator Game is not the only urban legend or paranormal ritual to have gained popularity on the internet in recent years. Other examples include the Charlie Charlie Challenge, in which participants attempt to summon a Mexican demon by asking it yes or no questions using a homemade Ouija board, and the Midnight Game, in which participants attempt to survive in a darkened house while being pursued by a malevolent entity.
Despite the risks associated with these games, many people are drawn to them for their thrill-seeking potential or their supposed paranormal effects. Whether these rituals have any basis in reality or are simply the result of suggestion remains a topic of debate
What is the Elevator Game and Its History?
The history of the Elevator Game is somewhat murky and difficult to trace, as it originated as an internet urban legend rather than a traditional folklore or myth. However, it appears that the game first gained widespread attention on the internet in 2015, when a user on a Korean forum posted a description of the game, which they claimed was based on an old ritual practiced in Korea. The user claimed that the game was a way to travel to another dimension or parallel universe, and provided detailed instructions for how to play.
The Korean post in 2015 quickly went viral, and soon people all over the world were attempting to follow the Elevator Game rules to play it and sharing their experiences on social media and online forums. Some people claimed to have had strange or unsettling experiences while playing the game, while others dismissed it as a hoax or a dangerous urban legend.
It is unclear whether the Elevator Game rules have any basis in traditional Korean folklore or whether it was entirely invented by the person who posted the original description. Some people have speculated that the game may be related to the concept of the “elevator girl” in Korean pop culture, who is a young woman who works in an office building and is said to have a mysterious or supernatural aura. Others point to a real life elevator tragedy that happened in Japan in 2006: the Minato Ward elevator accident.
Regardless of its origins, the Elevator Game has become a popular topic of discussion on the internet, with many people drawn to its potential for thrill-seeking or its purported paranormal effects. However, many experts caution against attempting to play the game, citing the risks of physical harm or psychological distress.
The Death of Elisa Lam, an Elevator Game Death?
Among the history and stories of the Elevator Game, one of the most well-known is the case of Elisa Lam and here unusual death. Stories of the Elevator Game and this death at the Cecil Hotel are often linked in modern urban legends.
Elisa Lam was a 21-year-old Canadian college student who was found dead in the rooftop water tank of the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles on February 19, 2013. Her disappearance and death quickly gained widespread attention due to the bizarre circumstances surrounding the case.
Lam had been traveling alone in the United States and had been staying at the Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. She was last seen alive on January 31, 2013, and was reported missing by her family on February 1. After her disappearance, the police launched an extensive search for her, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.
On February 19, nearly three weeks after Lam was last seen alive, hotel guests complained of low water pressure and a strange taste coming from the hotel’s water supply. When maintenance workers investigated the hotel’s water tanks, they found Lam’s naked body floating in one of them. The tank had to be drained to remove her body.
The investigation into Lam’s death was complicated by a number of strange occurrences. The most notable was a surveillance video from the hotel’s elevator, which showed Lam behaving erratically in the elevator shortly before her disappearance. In the video, Lam can be seen pressing multiple buttons, hiding in the corner of the elevator, and gesturing as if she is speaking to someone who is not visible on the video. The video went viral on the internet, and many people were left wondering what happened to Lam in the moments before her death.
Many have speculated that The Elevator Game rules and how it is played, along with the unusual elevator footage, is an explanation for what transpired.
After an autopsy, the cause of Lam’s death was ruled as an accidental drowning, and no evidence of foul play was found. However, the circumstances of her death remain mysterious, and many people continue to speculate about what may have happened to her. Some theories suggest that she may have been the victim of foul play, while others propose more supernatural explanations. Nevertheless, the case of Elisa Lam’s death remains unsolved.
Photo by Jason Dent on Unsplash
Last Updated on April 9, 2023.