Was Polybius real? In 1981, an arcade in Portland was the scene of countless gamers coming down with migraines, having heart ...

There’s a good chance you’ve already heard of it: Polybius. Let’s step back to November 1981. The Cold War has been raging for decades, and America is seeped in distrust and fear.

Second only to Area 51 in its notoriety, every gamer and sci-fi fan has heard of Polybius. The legend describes the game as part of a government-run psychology experiment released into arcades circa ...