Video games have shaped our culture, entertainment, and leisure time for over four decades. From simple titles like Pong (1972) and Space Invaders (1978), through cult productions like Donkey Kong (1981) and Pokémon (1999), to modern e-sports hits like Counter-Strike, Fortnite, and PUBG, games have become an inseparable part of our lives. However, there is a dark corner in this fascinating history, full of mysterious tales of cursed games that go far beyond mere entertainment. One of the most intriguing stories concerns the game Polybius, which allegedly appeared in arcades in Portland, Oregon in 1981. According to legend, this enigmatic game, created by the German company Sinneslöschen, caused a range of disturbing symptoms in players: from headaches and amnesia, through epileptic seizures and hallucinations, to suicidal tendencies.
Despite the machine's inconspicuous appearance - a black cabinet with a simple logo - the game enjoyed huge popularity among young people. However, its fame quickly turned into terror when rumors began to circulate about mysterious men in black who regularly visited the machines, probably collecting data. After just a month, as mysteriously as it appeared, the game disappeared without a trace.
Conspiracy theorists suggest that Polybius may have been part of a secret government experiment aimed at studying the effect of certain visual stimuli on the human psyche. Although there is no concrete evidence of the game's existence, the legend of Polybius has survived for decades, even inspiring the creators of the popular animated series "The Simpsons"
Another dark story is connected to the Japanese version of the game Pokémon Red and Green from 1996. According to urban legend, shortly after the game's release in Japan, a series of suicides occurred among children aged 7-12. There were supposedly around 200 victims, and they all had one thing in common - they were playing a new game in the Pokémon series.
The center of the controversy was a level known as "Lavender Town", characterized by a disturbing, purple color scheme and an ominous soundtrack. According to rumors, the music contained high frequencies audible only to children, which were supposed to trigger strong suicidal impulses. Although Nintendo has vehemently denied these reports, versions of the game released outside Japan reportedly had a modified soundtrack, which only fueled speculation.
Even a seemingly innocent and creative game like Minecraft is not free from mysterious stories. Players from all over the world have reported unusual phenomena during gameplay: unexplained tunnels leading to nowhere, trees without leaves, and mysterious structures appearing in the most unexpected places.
Some have claimed that behind these anomalies is a mysterious figure with white eyes, visible only from a distance. Theories link these phenomena to the tragic story of the game's creator, Markus Persson (known as "Notch"), whose brother died under mysterious circumstances. While a rational explanation suggests that these are simply bugs in the game's code, some believe that they may be intentional additions to commemorate Notch's deceased brother.
One of the most terrifying stories concerns the game The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. According to stories circulating on the internet, a player purchased a used cartridge with the game, which only had the words "Majora's Mask" on a black background.
After inserting the cartridge into the console, it turned out that it contained a saved game called "Ben". Despite attempts to start a new game, all characters in the game addressed the player as Ben. Deleting the save and restarting the game yielded even stranger effects: distorted landscapes, an inverted soundtrack full of screams, and even a deformed version of the main character that seemed to follow the player.
Each attempt to start a new game ended with a cryptic message: "You have met a terrible fate, have you?". This story, although unconfirmed, has gained a huge following on the internet, inspiring numerous theories and fan fiction.
Fallout 3, a popular RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world, also has its own mysterious legend. According to some players, mysterious radio transmissions appearing in the game contain hidden Morse code messages that supposedly foretell future events.
Conspiracy theorists claim that some disasters, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster, were predicted in these transmissions. Although the game's creators, Obsidian Entertainment, have vehemently denied the existence of such hidden messages, the theory still has its supporters.
Stories of cursed or mysterious video games have fascinated gamers for years, straddling the line between urban legend and creepypasta. While most of them can be easily explained as figments of the imagination or deliberate hoaxes, they show how deeply gaming has become embedded in our culture and collective consciousness.
These tales, whether true or not, reflect our fears about technology and its impact on our lives. At the same time, they are a fascinating example of modern folklore, showing how new myths and legends are born and spread in the digital age.
Whether we believe these stories or take them with a grain of salt, there’s no denying that they add an additional, intriguing dimension to the already fascinating world of video games. Maybe the next time you sit down to play your favorite game, you’ll take a moment to wonder if there’s a dark secret lurking behind the pixels on your screen?
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