The Polybius Conspiracy

Introducing our new Showcase series! In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game that is purported to have briefly appeared in Oregon arcades for a few weeks in 1981 before abruptly disappearing. In Episode One: The Player, an investigation into the origins of the Polybius legend leads to Bobby, who claims the game was responsible for his abduction as a teenager. In the thirty-five years since, Bobby has remained steadfast with his story, going so far as to organize a for-profit walking tour while obsessively searching for the one person he believes could corroborate his allegations. Local players from the Portland arcade scene cast doubt on Bobby’s story, as do journalists who refute the game as ever having existed. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

Introducing our new Showcase series! In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age. In Episode One: The Player, an investigation into the origins of the Polybius legend leads to Bobby, who claims the game was responsible for his abduction as a teenager. In the 35 years since, Bobby has remained steadfast with his story, going so far as to organize a for-profit walking tour while obsessively searching for the one person he believes could corroborate his allegations. Local players from the Portland arcade scene cast doubt on Bobby’s story, as do journalists who refute the game as ever having existed. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age. In Episode Two: The Missing, as a man comes forward to potentially corroborate Bobby's story, the path forward plunges into the darkness of another Oregonian legend: the infamous Shanghai Tunnels. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age. In Episode Three: The Cassette, the search for answers leads the team to a retired journalist with a bizarre connection to Coin Kingdom, and unsettling allegations of abuse at an international youth academy. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age. In Episode Four: The Rewind, sometimes journalists pursue a mystery; other times, it pursues them. An unexpected phone call from Naomi Halbrook leads to more revelations, while a competing documentary project about Polybius leads to conflict. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura. Thanks for listening to Showcase, from Radiotopia! We’re in the middle of our annual fundraiser right now. If you’re enjoying listening to The Polybius Conspiracy (and we bet you are) please consider donating to support the network, at radiotopia.fm.

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age. In Episode Five: The Seller, new clues about the whereabouts of Rubin's missing partner shed light on secrets Bobby might prefer stay hidden. The team looks into how one might go about vetting the authenticity of a Polybius cabinet. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura. Thanks for listening to Showcase, from Radiotopia! We’re in the middle of our annual fundraiser right now. If you’re enjoying listening to The Polybius Conspiracy (and we bet you are) please consider donating to support the network, at radiotopia.fm.

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age. In Episode Six: The Code, questions about Bobby result in a surprising lead, as Rubin comes to believe he's cracked the code on Polybius. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura. Thanks for listening to Showcase, from Radiotopia! We’re in the last days of our annual fundraiser right now. If you’re enjoying listening to The Polybius Conspiracy (and we bet you are) please consider donating to support the network, at radiotopia.fm.

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age. In Episode Seven: The Final Level, fact, fabrication, history and hoax converge as the search for Marc comes full circle. The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. For some concluding thoughts on The Polybius Conspiracy, from Radiotopia and producers Jon and Todd, go to radiotopia.fm/blog. Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.