---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu
lang: en
title: Diegetic menu
summary: Menu options appear on an object or device within the world.
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu.md
aliases:
- In-world menu
tags:
- Game design techniques
- Diegetic
sourceIds:
- source-047fb80a86180e80
- source-0d8eb657a3d268ec
- source-a39d442575002718
- source-f79dc0dc5c9fb588
- source-4a14e598946ee9e2
sources:
- id: source-047fb80a86180e80
title: 'Game Mechanics: Diegetic menu'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-0d8eb657a3d268ec
title: Medal of Honor (2010)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/medal-of-honor-2010'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-a39d442575002718
title: Metro 2033 Redux (2014)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/metro-2033-redux'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-f79dc0dc5c9fb588
title: 'Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)'
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/resident-evil-7-biohazard
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-4a14e598946ee9e2
title: Metro Exodus (2019)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/metro-exodus'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: game-mechanics
id: gm-diegetic-menu
title: Game design techniques
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-diegetic-menu'
categoryIds:
- gm-category-diegetic
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: In-world menu
description: Menu options appear on an object or device within the world.
image:
src: images/mechanics/atmosphere-diegetic-menu.webp
width: 1440
height: 810
game: Metro 2033 Redux
sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu'
originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/metro-2033-redux-main-menu.jpg'
credit: 4A Games; image 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: 'New game on paper, continue on a screen'
alt: 'Metro 2033 Redux: New game on paper, continue on a screen.'
markers:
- x: 54
'y': 43
label: Menu option on the typewriter paper
- x: 84
'y': 54
label: Continue option on the television
tips:
- >-
Retain readable labels, clear focus and conventional keyboard
navigation.
examples:
- title: Metro 2033 Redux
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu'
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
---
# Diegetic menu
id: game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-diegetic-menu/
Menu options appear on an object or device within the world.
## At a glance
[Metro 2033 Redux](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu) · 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.
1. Menu option on the typewriter paper
2. Continue option on the television
- Retain readable labels, clear focus and conventional keyboard navigation.
- [Metro 2033 Redux](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu)
## How it works
Menu options appear on an object or device within the world.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- Menu options appear on an object or device within the world.
## 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: Diegetic menu](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu) (id: source-047fb80a86180e80)
- [Medal of Honor (2010)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/medal-of-honor-2010) (id: source-0d8eb657a3d268ec)
- [Metro 2033 Redux (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/metro-2033-redux) (id: source-a39d442575002718)
- [Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/resident-evil-7-biohazard) (id: source-f79dc0dc5c9fb588)
- [Metro Exodus (2019)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/diegetic-menu/game/metro-exodus) (id: source-4a14e598946ee9e2)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors