Popular Gaming Myths Everyone Believed

It’s easy to see why gaming myths and urban legends are so captivating. Players enjoy becoming immersed in these stories, whether they’re trying to prove or disprove them, or simply debating their validity with others.

It’s easier to check facts online today, but in the past, video game myths spread quickly and many people genuinely believed them. These stories have since been proven false, but only after clear evidence came to light.

The Lavender Town Syndrome

One Of The Most Popular Gaming Myths Of All Time

Lavender Town is surprisingly known as one of the scariest places in video game history, even though it comes from a game meant for children. A widespread online story claims the town’s music has a hypnotic effect, causing players to experience unsettling thoughts and images.

Okay, it might sound silly, but that Lavender Town music is seriously creepy! And it doesn’t help that the town is basically a Pokémon graveyard – that really made a lot of us think something spooky was actually going on in the game. It definitely added to the whole eerie vibe!

Save Aerith

Fans Moved Heaven And Earth To Try And Save Their Favorite Party Member

Aerith’s death in *Final Fantasy 7* was a huge shock, and many fans struggled to accept it. This led to the rapid spread of hopeful, but untrue, stories about ways to save her – stories that a lot of people wanted to be true.

While players can sometimes use tricks to keep Aerith in their group, her death is a core part of the story and cannot be prevented. She does get to use her ultimate attack shortly before she dies, and you’ll even find a few areas after her death where she still has some lines of dialogue. This is because the game’s story team decided *when* Aerith would die first, and then built the rest of the game’s dungeons around that key moment.

Spot Bigfoot

San Andreas Fans Went Crazy In This Search

The legend of Bigfoot has captured imaginations, and that fascination has extended to video games. When *San Andreas* was released, its huge open world became famous for spooky stories, especially those set in its remote areas. Fans readily believed these tales, with the ‘Ghost Car’ being a particularly well-known example – though the game’s code ultimately explained what was happening.

For years, one of the most persistent rumors among fans was that Bigfoot existed within the game. This belief was so strong that people created modified versions of *San Andreas* adding the creature, further spreading the myth. While eventually proven false, the enduring popularity of the Bigfoot rumor clearly influenced Rockstar Games to include a similar creature in *GTA 5*, demonstrating the significant impact this gaming myth had.

Find Mew Under A Truck

People Went Crazy To Try And Find This Pokemon

Pokémon Red and Blue were incredibly popular, so it’s no surprise that many rumors and stories started spreading about the game quickly. One of the most famous stories involved Mew, a rare Pokémon, and a hidden truck in Vermillion City that players believed held the key to finding it.

A lot of players believed they could obtain Mew by using a glitch with the Surf move to access a hidden truck. However, this wasn’t true. The only way to legitimately get Mew in the game was to attend a special Nintendo event where developers could add it to your game cartridge. This difficult process likely started the widespread rumors about the truck glitch.

The Legend Of Polybius

A Legendary Arcade Cabinet That Had An Adverse Effect On Players

Years ago, a captivating story circulated about *Polybius*, a supposed arcade game that people claimed drove players to madness and caused them to do terrible things. While it was just a myth, the story was so convincing that it really captured people’s imaginations.

The story gained so much traction that an indie video game based on it was actually created in 2017. This really highlights how strongly these gaming myths can capture the public’s imagination and influence popular culture.

Blow Into Nintendo Cartridges To Fix Them

A Common Misconception That Made Players Feel Like They Fixed Their Games

Many gamers still have fond memories of the old days with game cartridges, even remembering the frustration of inserting a beloved game only to find the console wouldn’t recognize it.

Most players used to think a game cartridge wasn’t working because of dust, so they’d blow into it – and it usually worked the second time! While people believed blowing fixed the problem, it actually just realigned the pins inside the cartridge. But even knowing that doesn’t stop players from feeling clever when their blowing trick ‘works’!

The Existence Of Herobrine

The Biggest Minecraft Legend

Minecraft is incredibly popular, and it’s unusual for a modern game to have its own urban legend. However, many players once truly believed in a mysterious figure called Herobrine, who supposedly appeared when they explored the furthest reaches of the game world.

The story of a strange, eyeless character resembling Steve became a well-known legend among gamers, and many players actively tried to find it. Though it’s largely been proven false, people continue to create their own versions of this ‘Herobrine’ character as modifications, allowing players to experience the myth firsthand.

The Naked Lara Croft Code

Gamers Really Are A Different Breed

Lara Croft is undoubtedly one of the most beloved female characters in video game history. Her adventurous spirit and memorable look quickly made her a hit with fans, though unfortunately, some went a bit too far in their enthusiasm.

A rumor quickly spread online about a cheat code that supposedly removed Lara Croft’s clothing. This became a well-known gaming myth. While it’s understandable that kids might have been interested in this, fans hope adults weren’t involved in searching for it.

2025-09-26 05:35