---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock
lang: en
title: Combination Lock
summary: >-
  The correct sequence of positions or symbols releases the lock. Turning a dial
  connects a discovered combination to player actions.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock/
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock.md
aliases:
  - Combination lock
tags:
  - Game design techniques
  - Access & Security
sourceIds:
  - source-f69190bf03b26aff
  - source-529d14218f9d420d
sources:
  - id: source-f69190bf03b26aff
    title: 'Game Mechanics: Combination Lock'
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-529d14218f9d420d
    title: Resident Evil Requiem (2026)
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock/game/resident-evil-requiem
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: game-mechanics
    id: gm-combination-lock
    title: Game design techniques
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-combination-lock'
    categoryIds:
      - gm-category-access-security
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
    title: Combination lock
    description: >-
      The correct sequence of positions or symbols releases the lock. Turning a
      dial connects a discovered combination to player actions.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/interaction-combination-lock.webp
      width: 564
      height: 322
      game: Resident Evil Requiem
      sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock'
      originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/resident_evil_requiem_safe.webm'
      sourceFrameSeconds: 7.55
      credit: Capcom; frame from clip via GameMechanics.org
      rights: >-
        Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host:
        GameMechanics.org. Visible source watermarks preserved. All rights
        reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
      caption: A combination dial on a safe
      alt: >-
        Resident Evil Requiem shows a close-up safe with a rotating combination
        dial.
      markers:
        - x: 48
          'y': 48
          label: Rotating dial with markings
        - x: 32
          'y': 48
          label: Safe-door locking mechanism
    tips:
      - Communicate rotation direction and when a value is registered.
      - Simplify reopening a lock that has already been solved.
    examples:
      - title: Resident Evil Requiem
        url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages
  checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
  gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference
  URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film
  analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are
  upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics
---
# Combination Lock

id: game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-combination-lock/

The correct sequence of positions or symbols releases the lock. Turning a dial connects a discovered combination to player actions.

## At a glance

![Resident Evil Requiem shows a close-up safe with a rotating combination dial.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/interaction-combination-lock.webp)

[Resident Evil Requiem](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock) · Game imagery © its respective rights holders. Source host: GameMechanics.org. Visible source watermarks preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.

[Source recording](https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/resident_evil_requiem_safe.webm), 7.55 s

1. Rotating dial with markings
2. Safe-door locking mechanism

- Communicate rotation direction and when a value is registered.
- Simplify reopening a lock that has already been solved.

- [Resident Evil Requiem](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock)

## How it works

A correct sequence of positions or symbols releases a lock.

## Variants

### How the technique works

<a id="gm-combination-lock-rule"></a>

- A correct sequence of positions or symbols releases a lock. <a id="gm-combination-lock-definition"></a>

## Context and limits

All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.

- [Game Mechanics: Combination Lock](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock) (id: source-f69190bf03b26aff)
- [Resident Evil Requiem (2026)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/combination-lock/game/resident-evil-requiem) (id: source-529d14218f9d420d)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors