This article is a compiled list of theories surrounding the creation and state of the Backrooms, listed by most plausible first.
Contents
- 1 Creation Theories
- 1.1 Collective Unconscious/Idealism Theory
- 1.2 Collision Theory
- 1.3 The Accident
- 1.4 The Great Experiment
- 1.5 The Kauer Thesis
- 1.6 A Dream
- 1.7 The Prison
- 1.8 Void/Cosmology Theory
- 1.9 Shattered Reality Theory
- 1.10 Tileset Theory
- 1.11 Virtual Theory
- 1.12 Stacked Dimensions Theory
- 1.13 Hell Theory
- 1.14 The Hole in Reality Theory
- 1.15 Wall Theory
- 1.16 Fehlend's Theory
- 1.17 Infinite Universe Theory
- 1.18 Multi-universal Theory
- 2 Other Theories
- 2.1 The Level Numbering Theory
- 2.2 The Window Theory
- 2.3 The Cameraman Theory
- 2.4 "The One"
- 2.5 Time-Freeze Theory
- 2.6 Entity Theory
- 2.7 Him Theory
- 2.8 Carpet Fluid Theory
- 2.9 Level Reality Theory
- 2.10 God Creation Theory
- 2.11 The Advanced Civilization theory
- 2.12 The Alteration Theory
- 2.13 the mirjavian theory
Creation Theories
Collective Unconscious/Idealism Theory
According to the famous psychiatrist, Carl Jung, humans have a “collective unconscious”, a series of ideas that we all universally share as a species with the Backrooms being one of these concepts. Liminal spaces are wired into our collective minds, as shared places and the Backrooms are simply a shared perception of these liminal spaces. Practically, humans are only affected by the world as they perceive it, so when a human who has lost their mind, entered a coma, or fallen asleep and gets a vision of this collective perception, they are sucked into it. As such, people in the Backrooms are often dreaming or delirious.
Collision Theory
Former Frontrooms scientists theorize that the Backrooms is an alternate universe that had collided with the real universe, resulting in the 2 becoming interconnected and hence why travel is possible between the two. This is just a theory though, with many other interpretations of the Backrooms indirectly disproving or contradicting it, but it is certainly a possibility.
The Accident
As the title says, the Backrooms are, at least according to this theory, an accident. They were never meant to come into existence, but they inevitably did so as experiments conducted by the world governments to test quantum tunneling & teleporting had unforeseen effects. Naturally the government would cover it up, but people still found their way into the Backrooms, where the government had hidden away its failures, its entities.
The Great Experiment
Taking a different route from 'The Accident', the Backrooms were created by the world's governments as means for human experimentation, away from the prying eyes of the press. It would start with the homeless, viewed poorly in the eyes of the public, their disappearances would spark much concern, before eventually becoming more wide-reaching. Anyone could be taken in the sleep and dumped into the Backrooms. The Backrooms are a series of complex facilities operated by the US government in order to research how the mind would react to unexplainable anomalies, though it has grown far beyond that.
The Kauer Thesis
This theory states that the Backrooms are an illusory tulpa: an idea brought to life as a result of the belief in it. This theorizes that the Backrooms formed into reality due to people's increasing belief in the concept. Additionally, this would ultimately create the idea that the Backrooms already existed, possibly creating a paradox.
A Dream
A theory that the Backrooms is the result of an elaborate lucid dream and that those who experience it are in a coma and have the same never-ending nightmare, with all the levels, the entities, the other wanderers, a figment of one's imagination. Few believe this theory though.
The Prison
While this theory doesn't explain how the Backrooms came to be, it does potentially reveal its true purpose. The idea is that the Backrooms were designed to trap Wanderers in them forever, the endless hallways, the unlikelihood of an escape. All designed to keep people in as long as possible, it could explain why so many areas lead to The Void.
Void/Cosmology Theory
According to this map, the Backrooms are the second sphere of existence. The Backrooms are much "Wider" than reality, being infinite in multiple dimensions. There are infinite levels, and there is theoretically infinite space in each level + sublevel combination. The Frontrooms are simply infinite in one dimension, with a limit (Being the unobservable universe) to how much can be explored. The Backrooms 's only limit to exploration, human or otherwise, is the danger, and an infinite void which can be entered from most points on the outer rim of the Backrooms, which happens to be the most populated and explored. Noclipping, or quantum tunneling, allows humans to move through infinite distance, reaching the inner ring. The inner rim is incredibly dangerous, with many quantum tunnels leading to the Void, an increased number of fluctuations that could send wanderers to places such as Level REDACTED, and close proximity to the home of the gods. An area including part of the inner rim, called "Heaven", is the living place of the gods, and where a small amount of souls go after death (most don't qualify and go to hell). The middle parts of the Backrooms are vastly unexplored, since quantum tunnels rarely lead directly to them. A few massive quantum tunnels, one of which the level numbering system is based off of, wind through the midsection, but most are seamless noclips which simply seem like one is walking into a new level after going far enough or doing a specific task. Sometimes, these tunnels miss areas, making travel through them confusing, however these tunnels can never lead a wanderer to the void. This fact leads some to seek out the middle levels to make their homes there. In the Inner Void, there are many deities. These deities are responsible for the entities, and most of the Backrooms itself. Deities have two phases "Dormant" and "Active". Active deities are young, and actively create "Olive Trees", levels, and entities. They do not need much sustenance to survive. Dormant deities are older, and must consume souls to survive. Some of these deities dream up their own realities which subsume the Backrooms and trap mortals, which they can feed off of. Dormant deities create things called "Olive Trees", which essentially rent out consciousness to various creatures, wait for the creature to die, and then collect their soul to feed to their deity.
Shattered Reality Theory
The Shattered Reality Theory is a theory formed by scientists who dropped into the Backrooms. This theory holds that the Backrooms were formed at the Big Bang and is a separate universe from the Real World. It states that it is a correlated universe to our own and was a completely different universe with its own laws but was melded with the Real World by the force of billions of human imaginations 24 hours a day in the real world. The Backrooms became more and more like the Real World until it became what it is now. The believers of this theory state that the fake reality program found in The End was a failed device which was an attempt to create a new reality exactly like the Real World but always fails due to chaos theory.
Tileset Theory
The Tileset Theory is that The Frontrooms is a hyper-advanced simulation, and The Backrooms are like tilesets containing millions of procedurally generated template rooms and locations for the developers to copy and place into The Frontrooms so that they don't have to build everything from scratch. The reason Noclipping is possible is because of the fact that reality is a simulation, and it can cause people to glitch into The Backrooms if they Noclip incorrectly, causing the simulation to get confused and send them there. If one noclips very incorrectly, they can accidentally noclip their bodies out of reality, causing their code, or consciousness, to be sent to The Void.
Virtual Theory
The Virtual Theory is a theory that states that the Backrooms is a virtual simulation we were unknowingly put into. The theory also says that the Backrooms were planned to be a virtual peaceful utopia of levels, where humans and anomalous creatures could live in harmony, until they were accidentally corrupted, releasing all of the Backrooms and generating endless levels. A few minor colonies believe this theory.
Stacked Dimensions Theory
This theory states that the Backrooms may not be a dimension, but rather a collection of alternate dimensions with the same properties, dimensions that we call Levels could be actual alternate dimensions, for example, level 0 could be floating in a void; the view to other levels from any level maybe be portals that are sometimes inaccessible, the windows are in reality portals leading to another dimensions, entities have the capacity to travel between these dimensions.
Hell Theory
This theory is suggested by some religious people. They believe that the backrooms is hell itself, the place where dead unsaved souls are tortured endlessly. In this theory, Noclipping is considered a sinful act (thus explaining how noclipping can end you up in the backrooms) and the "levels" are designed to torture souls that end up here. They also believed that people or souls who are "dead" in the backrooms aren't actually dead, they're just on another level of torture.
The Hole in Reality Theory
This theory is suggested by one person by the name of Alex codex. He believes that the backrooms was a puncture in reality and acts like a blackhole, sucking things around it to add more to itself. This mostly explains how Level Primal most likely exists, due to some entrances to the backrooms going into earth and putting prehistoric creatures inside the level. Meaning that Level Primal was most likely the first level to be ‘created.’ These entrances most likely still exist everywhere on earth, and most likely in space.
Wall Theory
This theory is that the frontrooms are on one side of the reality wall and the backrooms are on different levels of reality on the other side of the wall. each level of the backrooms is on a different infinite altitude going up and going down. This theory states that the void is just the empty space of the outside of the backrooms. the levels of the backrooms occur on the inside, on the outside there is an indescribable silence of colorless space. there is an indestructible smooth cosmic material that makes up the border of the backrooms and the void. The reason when one no-clips to the backrooms that they end up in level 0 is that it is on the line of space on the outside of the backrooms.
Fehlend's Theory
Doctor Adrean Fehlend was a German physicist that, after contact with the backrooms, was enamored with the spatial anomaly. He had proposed several theories in the past, from teleportation illusions to the wrath of supernatural beings. This theory propose that the Backrooms is the fourth dimension we have all been questioning, and that the four dimensions are length, width, depth, and unpredictability. He proposed that the Backrooms may not be 990 million sq. miles around like previously thought, but that instead it was closer to 100 meters across, but that it was just everchanging. Few believe in this theory.
Infinite Universe Theory
Scientists argue that there is an infinite universe. In this theory, the backroom is an another universe. You could not access it until you know how to. And it is possible that there is infinite backroom universe that is more safe, scary, dangerous or more. A wall or a specific, random wall can transport you accidently when you hit a wall in a sudden.
Multi-universal Theory
This theory claims that the entire observable universe is the Frontrooms, and the Backrooms, Oldrooms, Toprooms, and Westrooms are also their own part of the much larger universe. The parts that are closest to the region you are in is the most likely one you are going to go to if you were to exit the region you are in. This means the backrooms is the closest to the Frontrooms, and the other rooms are further out. The novarooms are not part of this equation.
Other Theories
The Level Numbering Theory
This theory attempts to explain what level numbers have to do with level properties. There is a whole page about level numbering, so this is a summarized version. There is a border between Reality and the Backrooms called the Reality Shift. The level number is the distance between the center of the level and the Reality Shift, which is measured through gravitational anomalies.
The Window Theory
From many investigations, we have found that the Backrooms may have windows. In the color corrected image of the Backrooms, some blueish tints on some walls are visible, along with bright lighting that can't be caused by the fluorescent lights. With this, we introduce you to the window theory. Following are constructed images displaying this theory
The Cameraman Theory
This theory attempts to answer the origin of most of the Backrooms level images. The existence of this entity is theorized due to it being unreasonable that Wanderers could capture such high-quality images of the Backrooms, especially images of dangerous or even impossible-to-reach levels. The physical form of this entity is unknown, and it could be thought that it lacks a physical form altogether; what is known is that it captures images of levels often instantaneously after their addition to the database, and that it travels through levels by unknown means.
"The One"
There is a theory that there will one day be a "Lucid", someone who noclipped into the Backrooms while dreaming, who will have the ability to noclip on command between levels, possibly even outside of the Backrooms. The One is believed to be the answer to truly escaping the Backrooms.
Time-Freeze Theory
This theory would explain why people in the Frontrooms have never witnessed people noclipping into the Backrooms. The theory is that whenever anyone noclips into the Backrooms, time in the Frontrooms stops. When the person eventually makes their way back to the Frontrooms, time resumes. Nobody in the Frontrooms would notice because there would be no time passing for them to realize anything. If someone dies in the Backrooms they would also get sent back to the Frontrooms to right where they noclipped. This theory would also imply that everyone in the Backrooms eventually escapes, because if someone stayed forever then you would not be reading this. A problem with this theory is that everyone would have had to be sent to the Backrooms at the same time or one at a time because it is impossible to noclip while time is frozen (we think..).
Entity Theory
This theory suggests that the entities of the Backrooms originated from their own planes of realities. This suggests that the human reality is not the only one affected by the Backrooms, but one of many. As an idea, entities may have been carrying viruses or pathogens from other realities, ones that could affect others from separate realities differently.
Him Theory
The Him theory is a theory that states that a divine entity, referred to as Him in modern writings/conversation due to the original language He was written in was unknown.
The text, from approximately 950-1000 years ago, reads:
"These corridors, elaborate lengths. These places of strange creatures and knowledge. These places of horrid nature yet fascinating, comes from んノᄊ who came from There. He who created this world for His purposes and to eat, who is of the greatest respect, frighteningly."
Carpet Fluid Theory
The Carpet Fluid Theory is a theory formed by colonies across the positive integer levels. According to them, "Carpet Fluid" is a chemical compound that when touched or smelled, can cause insanity reducing effects, as well as random feelings of disorientation, anger, or fear (The severity of which depends on the quantity of the liquid in the area). The substance was named "Carpet Fluid" due to the fact that it soaks the carpeted floors in Level 0. The substance, as the name suggests, smells strongly of old moist carpet. The substance can be found on many other levels. (Listed below)
- Level 0 - The substance that dampens the carpet.
- Level 1 - Can be found in some of the puddles formed by the fog.
- Level 2 - Can be found rarely in small pipes lining the ceiling.
- Level 3 - Can be found in small puddles on the walls, floor, and ceilings.
- Level 4 - Can be found leaking from small cracks in the ceiling or walls.
- Level 5 - Can be found in some machinery in the boiler room.
- Level 6 - Can be found heavily soaking most surfaces.
- Level 7 - Can be found spraying out of small hot springs on small, isolated islands.
- Level 8 - Can be found in some ores.
- Level 9 - Can be found falling from the sky in a similar way to rain in specific areas, as well as in the faucets in some houses
- Level 10 - Can be found mixed with dirt on the pathway, forming a mud like substance, but blended perfectly, and more like a paste then water.
- Level 11 - Can be found in fountains, vending machines, or any form of water transport or storage.
- Level 12 - Mixed with the lights, making it bright
- Level 13 - Can be found in everything that contains water (1%)
Level Reality Theory
A theory splinteting off of the True Level 0 Theory, the Level Reality Theory states that what we know as reality, or what we commonly refer to as "the frontrooms", is a level in itself. While lacking in much direct evidence, it is noted that we refer to Level 0 as Level 0, because it is the recognised as the beggining. But that is only to those that enter into Level 0. It is presumed that Level 0 is the "start" of the backrooms, but there is no way to prove it. If the Level Reality Theory is therefore true, it means that reality, or "the frontrooms", is just another level of the backrooms, and there are likely many levels "before" the frontrooms, with likely no beginning.
A seperate but related theory to the Level Reality Theory states that many legends of angels descending from the heavens may be proof that the frontrooms are not where humans originally related from, and instead descended from a higher level, and began to occupy the frontrooms due to its habitability.
God Creation Theory
This theory states that the backrooms were one of the many places that Yahweh created when he was creating the universe (the seven days in the Old Testament so around the time when the earth was being created ) and that only the sinners would be the only ones that would enter the backrooms as like a punishment. But when scientists( Async Facility ) created a portal to this place without knowing what the backrooms were truly hiding( entities who were imprisoned and in reality were demons) as a consequence created portals all around the earth which made humans more susceptible to noclipping and getting in the backrooms and wrecked the fabric of space. But in the New Testament when Jesus came down to earth He said to his students that He will create a new Hell because Even He admitted that the old hell would be too harsh even for sinners and because He is an loving and goodhearted figure. This would explain why the backrooms are so scary and always are being described as a nightmare in general also according to Yahew ''זה המקום שאליו כל מי שיחטא ילך אז בני האדם היקרים שלי אם אתם חוטאים אתם חייבים לסלוח ולהתפלל למחילה שלי או שתישלחו לכאן לסבלכם הנצחי ב''גיהנום'' הזה'' he said ''this is the place where anyone who sins will go so my dear humans if you sin you must forgive and pray for my forgiveness or you will be sent here to your eternal suffering in this ''Hell'' which were the backrooms.
The Advanced Civilization theory
This theory refers to aliens and they create pocket dimension from our universe to thier own universe and we and other entities like the deathmoth, smilers and others are the test subjects. Objects ,entity objects, entity robots or entity sculpture like the gamemaster or the party goer was created by the Civilization for unknown reasons and the mutated entities like clumps.
heres some examples before the entities got into the backrooms
Death Moth - A prehistoric moth that is big and it was probably found by this civilization in a young life planet
Smilers - Smilers can be a water creature because it was bioluminescence of mouth and teeth and can be in invis mode in the dark so it was prob that or smth else
Clumps - Clumps was probably a human before something or 1 of the aliens mutated them
Hounds - It was probably a prehistoric human in the other planet with a dog hybrid.
The Disease - It was a plague from another planet who prob got into the backrooms for accidental reasons
Jerry - he was a parrot of an owner and when the owner got into the backrooms he too joined and the owner probably died but Jerry didnt and he probably found by the aliens and he got mutated to mind control.
The High Queen - was a prehistoric animal from a planet and when The High Queen got into a random level while no clipping it made its own level and like changed the whole level.
Entity - D - Was probably from another universe before no-clipping through some border, ending up as an entity in the Backrooms.
That was all the example
The Alteration Theory
The Alteration Theory proposes the idea that the backrooms as a whole is slightly altered for each person. These changes are not visible to other people, and are typically irrelevant.
Some minor alterations that have been theorized have been:
- Levels having louder ambience
- Levels having more or less entities
- Certain outposts not existing for certain people (Usually smaller outposts/survivor camps)
- Difference in temperature
- Levels having stronger or weaker WIFI.
Some major alterations that have been theorized have been:
- Level orders being scrambled around
- Huge increases/decreases in temperature
- Levels having phenomenal increases or decreases in entity count, and having different entities altogether.
- Certain people simply not existing for them.
- Levels having completely different shades of their original color, or a completely different color.
If this theory is true, it would render all documentation on levels useless or even dangerous as it may lead people into dangerous situations.
the mirjavian theory
theorised by James Mirjavis, a Mexican experimental theologian. this theory explains that the backrooms in an entirety is a game of sorts, created by a higher being for unknown reasons. this higher being could be a God, or humankind. the game is a maze, with the mentioned 'higher being' watching for amusement, for experiments, or as a test for us humans. this theory is adopted by many people, including Eden McCreek, German physician, and Alexander Blaize Cornell, British archivist.




