Although released as a single-player game, Poppy Playtime has the potential to be a great online multiplayer experience. As of now, the game is limited to just one chapter of content, with no options to play co-op alongside friends or other players. However, the possibility of introducing co-op within the game could prove to be a refreshing take on the multiplayer horror game genre, and easily garner success through its already massive fanbase and the growing online streaming community.
Poppy Playtime is a first-person survival horror game created by indie game developer MOB Games. The game sees the player take control of a former employee of Playtime Co. who revisits the company's abandoned toy factory, only to be pursued by the main antagonist Huggy Wuggy. The first chapter was released through Steam on October 12, 2021 and was met with viral success, leaving players to eagerly await the release of Poppy Playtime Chapter 2, which is rumored to be soon. Fans were also quick to point out the similarities between Poppy Playtime and Five Nights at Freddy's, as both are survival horror games that involve similar game mechanics and the player trying to escape from large cartoon characters come to life in a monstrous way.
With the game's current concept, environment, and mechanics, Poppy Playtime has the capability of being made into an online multiplayer game. The abandoned factory map could easily be expanded into a larger game environment, potentially allowing two to four players to traverse the Playtime Co. factory alongside each other. The pre-existing puzzles within the game could be repurposed into tasks that can only be completed in co-op, with the ultimate goal of breaking out of the factory before Huggy Wuggy kills all the players. Additional Poppy Playtime monsters based on other toys could also be added to the game to differentiate the gameplay experience. New mechanics could be included as well, such as medkits to heal injured players or toy stun guns to briefly paralyze Huggy Wuggy while he is in pursuit.
Why Poppy Playtime Would Make A Successful Multiplayer Game
The reason why Poppy Playtime would make a successful online multiplayer game is simple: streaming on online platforms like YouTube and Twitch has become a massive part of the gaming industry, and can contribute massively to a game becoming a viral success. Many streamers like to play multiplayer games on stream, and other similar multiplayer survival horror games such as Dead by Daylight and Phasmophobia have proven to be largely successful. Poppy Playtime has already garnered a large following despite only having released a single chapter, and some even consider Poppy Playtime to be the new Five Nights at Freddy's. The concept behind the game would also be a new and refreshing take on the multiplayer survival game genre.
While it is a fun concept to consider, it is unlikely that the developer MOB Games will bring online multiplayer to Poppy Playtime anytime soon. The primary focus of the game is centered around the storyline and the mystery behind what occurred at the Playtime Co. factory many years ago. For now, all players can do is wait for the release of the second chapter and continue to speculate on what new Poppy Playtime villain Mommy Long Legs could be up to.