I feel like the whole Weird Route stuff is a homage to 2000s vidya creepypasta stories.
Think about it
>Finding "secret games" on chapter 3
>That creepy "You were used up" on said secret game
>Putting 1225 on the gumball machine takes you to some sort of backrooms space
>The meta narrative being cranked up to a thousand
BRAVO TOBY

>>713023170
Holy shit you're right! I'm losing sleep tonight