Uncovering the CIA's secret video game project

"Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game." 3/30/18 Hadouken! It's time to delve into the unexpected tales behind your favorite video games with Great Big Story's Emmy® nominated series, 8 Bit Legacy: The Curious History of Video Games. Welcome to day 6 of 8: Today, we're investigating one of gaming's most enduring legends. Next week, we'll meet the man who gave Mario his iconic mustache. The True Story Behind Gaming's Most Bizarre Urban Legend In the 1950s, the CIA began experimenting with alternative ways to weaken the enemy. The project was called MKUltra and consisted of tests on unaware subjects with the goal of finding the perfect interrogation methods. In 1976, the secret had been leaked to the public and began to spur countless conspiracy theories. In the madness, one of the most bizarre gaming urban legends began to brew, and it all started when a video game cabinet appeared in an arcade in the quiet town of Portland.  In Case You Missed It ... The Gunslingin' Greatness of 'Mad Dog McCree' "Mad Dog McCree" was an interactive, Western-themed arcade game, and one of the first to bring a live-action element into the gaming world. The result? A game so bad, it was good. Twenty-five years later, we head back to the ranch where it all started. The Search for the First Street Fighter King While every arcade had their own prodigal players, one L.A. teen eclipsed them all. Tomo Ohira became a legend in the gaming community, and arguably one of the greatest video game players to have ever lived. He laid claim to his status as a champion by competing and winning the ultimate Street Fighter II super tournament in 1994. Then one day, he disappeared … The Rise of Nintendo's Original Gaming Master How does one get paid to play Nintendo games for a living? Ask Mr. Nintendo (aka Howard Phillips) … He's got all the secrets.  The Hunt for 'The Hobbit's' Missing Hero After creating "The Hobbit," one of the greatest text-adventure games of all time, Veronika Megler disappeared. We went on a quest to find Veronika and trace the lasting legacy she left as a pioneer in the industry.   Copyright © 2018 Great Big Story, LLC, All rights reserved.You are receiving this message because you subscribed to the Great Big Story newsletter. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list