Millions of Google Chrome users were shocked to discover that the T-Rex that appears on the screen when the internet connection drops is actually an interactive game.
A woman shared a TikTok video that went viral and has been viewed by 9.6 million people. The video shows off new features of the browser game, officially known as Dinosaur Game.
While some were interested in the upgrades, for many it was the first time they discovered that the little T-Rex was actually a game.
It turns out that many Chrome users thought the dinosaur that appears when you have no internet connection was just a still image.
They had never pressed the image or hit the space bar, which activated an endless running game in which the player had to make the dino jump over obstacles.
“I’m not turning off my wifi to see if the dino game is real,” one woman commented on the video.
“There’s a dinosaur game? How could I not know?” asked another.
Many Chrome veterans were surprised to learn that other browser users had yet to discover Dinosaur Game, which first launched in 2014.
Millions of Google Chrome users were shocked to discover that the T-Rex that appears on the screen when you lose your internet connection is actually an interactive game
It turns out that a large number of Chrome users thought that the dinosaur that appears when your internet goes down was just a static image. They never tapped on the image or pressed the space bar, which activates an endless looping game
The simple game is designed to kill time while the wifi connection drops..
“What rock are you living under?” one TikToker said, while another commented, “Play it, it’s a rite of passage.”
In the original version of the game, a pixelated T-Rex runs through a desert landscape, jumping over obstacles to get a high score.
The popular retro-inspired game was banned in some schools for being too distracting.
“I actually really like the dino game. I get really excited when the internet goes down,” someone said.
Those who knew the game were happy to discover that it had quietly undergone a surprising upgrade.
“Did anyone realize this had a major f***ing update? Like what?” said the TikToker who posted the video.
In the clip she plays the game as usual, with the T-Rex jumping over cacti to earn points.
But as she levels up, Chrome Dino eats a pink donut and enters the modern world.
As the game progresses, T-Rex turns into a dinosaur with a yellow jacket and a coffee cup in his hand.
“OMG… now I’m a coffee drinker,” the woman said.
The desert landscape changes into a city skyline and the T-Rex starts jumping over filing cabinets, desks and office chairs instead of cacti.
Fans of the Dinosaur Game loved the new city environment.
“The company got him too,” one man said.
“That damn economy,” joked another.
