Polybius Documentary To Probe Video Arcade Urban Legend

PORTLAND, OR -- Who doesn't love a good conspiracy theory? Now, a group of filmmakers is setting out to explore the legend of Polybius, the fabled arcade videogame. An urban myth that has been bouncing around the Internet for many years, Polybius was said to have made brief appearances in Portland, OR, arcades in the early 1980s before completely vanishing. Those who played it were reputed to have suffered seizures, depression, personality changes and even death.

A Kickstarter campaign is seeking to finance the documentary film. "The Polybius Conspiracy" would study the urban legends surrounding the videogame, ranging from secretive "men in black" servicing the unit and extraterrestrial contact to government mind-control experiments and, somehow, Nazi technology.

While Polybius remains a speculative topic on conspiracy theory websites, it's generally agreed to have started as an Internet hoax. Nobody has yet stepped forward with any concrete proof -- photographs or collection reports -- to show that the game really existed.

PHOTO:A Polybius machine was featured as a gag in the Sept. 24, 2006, episode of "The Simpsons." In an arcade full of games from the 1980s, Polybius can be seen in the background. On its panel only one button can be seen, presumably the start button. Adding to the spoof, the front of the machine was printed with the words PROPERTY OF U.S. GOVERNMENT.