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Speculative theory
Polybius ArcadeAtlas
Society & Culture · Internet-native theories
Polybius is an urban legend about a mysterious arcade cabinet said to have appeared briefly in Portland, Oregon arcades. Popular retellings connect Polybius to government mind-control experiments, including comparisons to MKUltra.
Open the caseInvolved
organization
Arcade Sushi
organization
BBC REEL
government agency
Central Intelligence Agency
organization
Game Theory (web series)
program
MKUltra
Documented CIA human-experiments program (1950s–1970s).
concept
Polybius (arcade legend)
person
Polybius (Greek historian)
organization
Polygon
organization
Portland Monthly
location
Portland, Oregon
document
The Polybius Conspiracy
concept
vector arcade cabinet (legendary Polybius machine)