The Why Files
Polybius | The Most Deadly Video Game in History | More Truth than Legend
2021 • E17 May 6, 2021 14m
Was Polybius real? In 1981, an arcade in Portland was the scene of countless gamers coming down with migraines, having heart attacks, seizures and strokes. Local teens were suffering from amnesia and having hallucinations. All due to a mysterious game that seemed to arrive out of thin air. The game was called Polybius. And even though playing the game was dangerous, it was highly addictive and caused some teens to become hyper-aggressive. Fights started breaking out at the arcade. One player was stabbed to death. All traced back to people who played Polybius. Why would the government allow the public to play such a dangerous game? Because the government created it