10 Video Game Conspiracy Theories You'll Start To Believe

We all love a good conspiracy. Whether you believe it or not, conspiracy theories can be intriguing, thought-provoking, or, in the case of Flat Earth, downright hilarious. And we're not just talking about the usual suspects like aliens, the Moon landing, or the JFK assassination.

Even the gaming world is rife with wild tales about killer consoles, cursed cartridges, and gaming companies hiding secret messages in their projects.

It's natural to dismiss farfetched stories like this, especially when there isn't a shred of evidence to back them up. When your friend tells you his brother's babysitter's cousin's nephew's roommate head exploded while playing a video game, you're not going to take it seriously (unless you are astoundingly gullible).

But every once in a while, you stumble upon an urban legend that sounds legit. Did people die while playing Berzerk? Are there subliminal messages lurking in Fallout 3? What's the real reason Michael Jackson stopped working with Sega?

Although most of these stories are easy to disprove, there are a few that may have a modicum of truth.

Do you remember the arcade game, Polybius? Even if you don't, that title should ring a bell. It was a popular game in the 1980s, right? The classic game popped up in The Simpsons, Loki, and Nine Inch Nails' music video, Less Than, so it was obviously a big deal back in the day, wasn't it?

So, what if I told you Polybius never existed? During the millennium, a story circulated on gaming sites about a state-of-the-art game called Polybius that first appeared in an arcade in Portland in 1981. There were rumours that people who played it suffered hallucinations, night terrors, memory loss, and seizures. One day, a bunch of Men in Black entered the arcade, disconnected the arcade cabinet, and left. According to those who perpetuate this myth, that was the last anyone saw of Polybius.

To add to the speculation, a man called Steve Roach spoke with GamePro, claiming he programmed this mythical game. Roach also said the cabinets were removed from arcades after someone had an epileptic fit while playing. Roach's claims have been dismissed since he gave no evidence to corroborate his story, nor is there proof Polybius was legit.

Nevertheless, some people have convinced themselves they've seen this game at the arcades or played it, despite the fact it doesn't exist.