The 2022 cat adventure game, Stray, has many different mysteries and secrets for the player to discover while exploring the world as a cute feline protagonist. Yet even through all of the secrets and mysteries you may encounter, there are likely many things you might have missed while going through the game at first.
There are many underlying messages and Easter eggs scattered throughout the game, referencing popular games and shows. Below is a list of all of the Easter Eggs and hidden secrets that can be found in the world of Stray, along with a guide on how to discover each Easter egg and what each one contains.
All Easter eggs and hidden messages in Stray
Stranger Things Easter egg
The Stranger Things Easter egg references the first season of the hit Netflix show where Will Byers communicates with his mother Joyce through electronics. This Easter egg is found in Chapter 1, with a series of television sets and lights paying homage to Stranger Things.
The Simpsons Easter egg
The nod to the popular adult cartoon show appears at the bar in Midtown where the protagonist can find a neon sign that reads “DUFER BAR.” This neon sign is a reference to the name of the beer used in The Simpsons, Duff Beer, which is a staple of the show.
Persona 5 Easter egg
A character named Sojiro owns a bar in the video game Persona 5, which draws similar comparisons to a character with the same name that you encounter in Stray. The Sojiro in Stray also happens to be at a bar in Stray’s Midtown.
Skyrim Easter egg with Sojiro
The only series with more than one Easter egg in the game, the first Skyrim-related Easter egg that you can find actually relates to the same Easter egg you encounter from Persona 5 with Sojiro. This same character you encounter at the bar phrases a line very similar to the most infamous line from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: “…then I took an arrow to the knee.” In Stray, Sojiro says a slight variation by saying he took a screwdriver to the knee instead.
Skyrim Easter egg at Waterfalls
The second Skyrim-related Easter egg you may encounter happens in the sewer area near the waterfall. Here, players will encounter a character named Jenkins who says a common line many merchants in Skyrim say: “Some may call this junk. Me, I call them treasures.”
Gravity Falls Easter egg
The critically-acclaimed Disney series found its way into Stray as an Easter egg that can be found in the library. Once at the library, players can find a book that draws many similarities to the journals commonly used throughout the Gravity Falls series.
The only difference between these journals found in Stray compared to Gravity Falls are that the hands with six fingers are a cat paw instead of a hand to fit the feline theme of Stray.
Back to the Future Easter egg
Two characters, Seamus McFly and Doc Brown, are referenced in Stray as an homage to the Back to the Future films. In Stray, the two characters named after the Back to the Future characters feature similar designs to one another, making the parallels between each character even more similar.
Criminal Easter eggs
Infamous criminals Pablo Escobar and Al Capone are referenced in Stray, fittingly at the prison. Once at the prison, you encounter and speak to two characters named Pablo and Capone before trying to escape the prison.
Half-Life Easter egg
The popular video game series Half-Life is referenced at the Train Station. There, you will encounter two empty train cars where a crowbar can be found. That crowbar is a reference to a famous weapon in the Half-Life video games, often used by the main protagonist throughout the series. The design of the crowbar in Stray is a near replica of the one used in Half-Life, and both feature the prominent red coloring with the metal tip at the very end.
Technical Game designer Easter egg
A downed robot named Alterisateur can be found near the prison area, who is named after the alias of technical game designer Hugo Dunas-Wald, a major part of Stray‘s production.
Developers saying ‘Hello You!’ Easter egg
In the Slums area, players will encounter a QR code on the tv that may be scanned. If you do scan this QR code, you will receive a message that reads, “Hello you!” that is from the developers of Stray.
Dungeons and Dragons Easter egg
Two characters named Lynn and Pinu can be seen talking about forgetting to set up a session and a character sheet. While the names aren’t any reference to Dungeons and Dragons, the conversation they have is a reference to the popular tabletop game.
Nujabes Easter egg
The late Japanese record producer Nujabes’ song “Counting Stars” is referenced in the game by a busker named Morusque. When asked, the busker will play their rendition of “Counting Stars” through a song titled “Cool down,” which is just as catchy as the original it is covering.
B-12 Name hidden message and easter Egg
The name B-12 is a shout out to the developers of the game, BlueTwelve Studio, and can be found all throughout the game in different various forms. So if you ever find yourself wondering exactly what B-12 meant throughout your first playthrough of the game, it’s a tribute to the game’s devs.
That caps the list of all the hidden messages and Easter eggs found throughout Stray. Since its release, the game has gone on to be viewed in a positive light, where it was Steam’s best user-rated game of 2022 as well as a “no brainer purchase” in a review on July 18.
The newly-released game is currently available on PlayStation 4 and 5, as well as Microsoft Windows through Steam where it was released on July 19.
