Introduction
Video games have been around for decades, and with their rise in popularity, various myths and urban legends have emerged. Some of these rumors are creepy, others are outright bizarre, and a few even convinced players to try impossible challenges in search of hidden secrets.
But how much truth is there behind these stories? In this article, we will debunk some of the most famous gaming myths, separating fact from fiction and uncovering the real stories behind these urban legends.
1. The Haunted Cartridge – The Legend of “Ben Drowned”
One of the most famous gaming creepypastas of all time is the “Ben Drowned” story, which revolves around a haunted Majora’s Mask cartridge.
The Myth:
According to the story, a player bought a used copy of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and discovered that the cartridge was cursed. The save file was named “Ben”, and strange things happened when the game was played. The character Link would randomly die, NPCs spoke cryptic messages, and eerie music played in the background.
At one point, a distorted version of Link’s face (the Elegy of Emptiness statue) would stalk the player. Creepy messages appeared, such as “You shouldn’t have done that.”
The Truth:
The story was a fictional creepypasta created by a writer named Alex Hall (Jadusable) in 2010. It was part of a series of YouTube videos and forum posts that created a deep, immersive horror experience for fans.
Despite being completely made up, the story gained so much popularity that many players refused to play Majora’s Mask alone at night.
2. Polybius – The Government’s Mind-Control Arcade Game
The Myth:
Back in the 1980s, an arcade game called Polybius supposedly appeared in Portland, Oregon. The game was rumored to have hypnotic, flashing visuals, and anyone who played it suffered from hallucinations, seizures, and amnesia.
Mysterious men in black suits were seen collecting data from the machines, leading to speculation that the game was part of a secret government experiment. After a few weeks, Polybius mysteriously disappeared from arcades, and it was never seen again.
The Truth:
There is no real evidence that Polybius ever existed. The legend likely originated from:
- Reports of players getting sick after playing fast-paced arcade games.
- FBI agents were actually seen investigating illegal gambling in arcades, not testing mind-control devices.
- The myth was later spread on the internet, turning it into one of the biggest gaming urban legends ever.
Even though Polybius never existed, the story inspired various fan-made recreations of what the game might have been like.
3. Pokémon Lavender Town Syndrome
The Myth:
When Pokémon Red & Green were released in Japan in 1996, a strange rumor spread about Lavender Town, a creepy in-game location with ghost-type Pokémon. According to the myth, the original Lavender Town theme music contained high-frequency sounds that caused headaches, depression, and even suicide among children.
Reports claimed that over 100 children suffered mysterious deaths after playing the game and hearing the Lavender Town music.
The Truth:
The Lavender Town Syndrome story is completely false. However:
- The original music did contain high-pitched tones that were later adjusted for international releases.
- There were no reported cases of children dying because of the music.
- The myth likely spread due to Pokémon’s immense popularity, making it an easy target for urban legends.
Despite being debunked, Lavender Town remains one of the creepiest locations in gaming history, with many players still feeling uneasy when they hear its music.
4. The Madden Curse – A Superstition or Reality?
The Myth:
The “Madden Curse” refers to a superstition where NFL players who appear on the cover of Madden video games suffer career-ending injuries or major performance declines.
Here are a few examples:
- Michael Vick (Madden 2004) – Broke his leg in the preseason.
- Shaun Alexander (Madden 2007) – Fractured his foot after being on the cover.
- Peyton Hillis (Madden 12) – Had a terrible season and fell out of the NFL.
The Truth:
While it’s fun to believe in curses, the reality is that:
- Football is a physically demanding sport, and injuries are common regardless of cover appearances.
- Some Madden cover athletes had great seasons (e.g., Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes both won Super Bowls after being on the cover).
So, while the Madden Curse is mostly a coincidence, the number of injuries and performance drops make it an interesting superstition!
5. The Myth of “Hidden Characters” in Mortal Kombat
The Myth:
Back in the arcade era, players believed Mortal Kombat games had secret hidden characters that could only be unlocked through insane button combinations or mysterious conditions.
One famous example is Ermac, who was believed to be a secret fighter in the original Mortal Kombat (1992).
The Truth:
- “Ermac” was actually a developer error message in the game’s debug menu (short for “Error Macro”).
- Players thought it was a hidden character, and rumors spread so fast that developers added Ermac as a real fighter in later games.
- Similar myths existed for Reptile, Smoke, and Noob Saibot, some of whom later became real characters.
These myths showed the power of gaming rumors and how fan theories can influence game developers.
Conclusion
Gaming myths and urban legends are fun to discuss, but most of them are completely false or exaggerated. While stories like Ben Drowned and Polybius were created as fiction, others like the Madden Curse and hidden characters in Mortal Kombat were based on coincidences or developer misunderstandings.
As games continue to evolve, new urban legends will undoubtedly emerge. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, we’ll be discussing myths about AI-controlled NPCs becoming self-aware or a secret ending in GTA 6 that nobody has found yet.
What are your favorite gaming myths? Let us know in the comments!