Poppy Playtime’s Huggy Wuggy has become an iconic monster, but it has also become popular with young children. The internet is one of the big reasons that children know who Huggy Wuggy is, and his appearance and name make him appear like a child-friendly entity, which is a trick that the game relies on. Huggy Wuggy is a monster in a horror game that features some serious scares and occasional blood.
The reason for the controversy around Poppy Playtime’s Huggy Wuggy is that kids learn about the character and start talking about it without realizing he's from a horror game. The name is misleading enough that the character appeals to children. Huggy Wuggy also may have slipped through parental controls placed on devices, and some children may have ended up seeing many videos on the character.
Much of the game's success can be linked to Huggy Wuggy, with some saying Poppy Playtime’s Huggy Wuggy deserves a spinoff game. The concern around Huggy Wuggy began when Poppy Playtime content inadvertently made its way to young children, unaware of the game's genre. The horrifying imagery has been such a concern that some police departments have warned parents about the blue creature.
Basic Information On Horror-Survival Game Poppy Playtime
Poppy Playtime is an episodic survival horror game that takes place in an old toy factory. Only two chapters have been released, but each chapter features different antagonists that are a threat to the player. The players control an old employee of the company who returns to the factory years after everyone has disappeared. While the game has puzzles and cute designs, there are jump scares and occasional blood used in the game. The concept of human experimentation is also a large part of the game’s story. These experiments in Poppy Playtime made humans become toys, which is the reason for the intelligent and monstrous toys roaming the factory intent on killing the protagonist.
The game is scary and there is blood, but it is not overly gory. The developers claim the game is suitable for children at least eight years old, however, some parent rating sites suggest the game to children 12 and older. It is also important to note that there is no drug or alcohol use, or any other types of adult content in the game.
Poppy Playtime's Iconic Huggy Wuggy Has Become Very Popular
Huggy Wuggy is the mascot of Playtime Co. and first appears in Chapter 1 of Poppy Playtime. He is a 10-foot tall, blue fuzzy creature that is the main antagonist. Despite his fuzzy appearance and name, Huggy Wuggy is a dangerous predator that was a company experiment, who now has a hunger for human flesh.
Since Huggy Wuggy’s initial appearance, there has been Poppy Playtime Huggy Wuggy merch, with YouTube and TikTok fans making videos, art, and other forms of content about the character. While the popularity is good for the game’s developer and fans, it is important to remember that Huggy Wuggy is in a horror game; he may look like something from a child’s cartoon, but he is quite frightening.
At one point in the first chapter, he relentlessly chases the protagonist through vents in an attempt to eat them. His movement, even in the narrow vents, is very unsettling. In-game material is also disconcerting, with notes talking about Huggy Wuggy being a perfect experiment because he is both intelligent and loyal to the company.
Poppy Playtime Has Had A Series Of Controversies
Since the release of the game’s first chapter, there have been controversies and backlash around Poppy Playtime. The first issue with the game is the fear that Huggy Wuggy appeals to children too much, and that children may be exposed to a game they should not see. There was an instance with the popular fan-made song called “Free Hugs” by YouTuber TryHardNinja where children were repeating the lyrics at school. This song is not necessarily meant for children, and the creator even left a comment on the video saying it isn't for younger audiences, clarifying that they've marked it as “Not for Kids.” This did cause many rumors to spread, with some saying Huggy Wuggy sings that song in the game which is not true. Police departments did warn parents about Poppy Playtime, and urged parents to observe what their children are watching on the internet.
Another controversy around the game is the claims of bullying and plagiarism. An animator named Ethan, or Ekrcoaster, claims he was bullied by EnchanctedMOB who is partnered with MOB Games, Poppy Playtime's developer. The first claim by Ethan is that EnchantedMOB picked apart mistakes in his animations on YouTube. Ethan also claims he was sent sexualized images of his Minecraft character by EnchantedMOB when he was a minor. Ethan also accuses MOB Games of plagiarizing his game, Venge. However, both Poppy Playtime and Venge follow the current trend of turning childhood concepts into horror experiences. Five Nights At Freddy's arguably started the trend, and Poppy Playtime has been called the new FNAF. At this point, the theme is not unique.
The last controversy is about NFTs. Non-Fungible Tokens are a heavily debated topic by many people both in and outside of the games industry. They have been added to games and other forms of media. MOB Games had NFTs added to the game and were used as a paywall for extra game lore. Many fans were upset with some beginning to boycott the game, while others requested refunds. MOB Games did offer an apology, decided against the inclusion of NFTs, and promised that the money from the NFTs would go to the charity Clean Air Task Force.
What Parents Should Do About Poppy Playtime
At the end of the day, parents have the right to determine what content their children can and cannot view. Children seem to love Huggy Wuggy, but it is understandable if parents are worried about their child viewing Poppy Playtime. The scares may be too much for some or maybe the controversies make parents wary. For parents still curious, there are plenty of resources online, including entire play throughs of the game, where more can be learned.
Source: TryHardNinja/YouTube