Sheriff Warns Against Violent Video Game Character Who Terrifies Young Children
By Movieguide® Staff
A Wisconsin sheriff’s office released a warning for parents about a video game character named “Huggy Wuggy,” who initially looks appealing to young children but is, in fact, dangerous.
“The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office looked at the origins of a controversy about a character named Huggy Wuggy from a survival horror video game called ‘Poppy Playtime,'” begins the warning. “Poppy Playtime is a survival horror video game developed and published by American indie developer MOB Games in which the player plays as a former employee who is revisiting an abandoned toy factory previously owned by the game’s in-universe company Playtime Co. Ten years after the staff have seemingly vanished without a trace. The player navigates through a first-person perspective and must solve puzzles to progress further while avoiding various enemies, such as Huggy Wuggy, a blue bear-like character, with razor sharp teeth. Huggy Wuggy and other animated toys stalk players in an abandoned toy factory.”
The video game is targeted toward children ages 8-12.
“The game teaches younger audiences that their toys and other things they previously felt comfortable with are now scary and can kill them,” the warning continued. “The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a warning to parents due to a series of videos surrounding Poppy Playtime character Huggy Wuggy. The warnings are due to the character’s initially child-friendly visuals, which very quickly turn nightmarish.”
Additionally, the sheriff’s office raised concerns about fan-made content easily accessible to children on YouTube.
“The videos include, but are not limited to offensive language, cartoon representations of alcohol use, blood, stabbings, decapitations, attempted murder, murder, and the bloody aftermath of a car crash,” according to the sheriff’s office. “In one of the videos a toy cartoon character tells a cartoon person, ‘My hugs don’t hurt one bit, you’ll be dead before the pain comes!” The character then hugs and squeezes the person until they turn blue and passes out. In another video, a female character is drugged, passes out, and it is inferred a sexual assault is performed on her. In the same video, the female character’s husband sees a video of the sexual assault and believes the female character had committed adultery. The male character then hits the female character and divorces her. As of the time of the post, the videos were not accessible through YouTube Kids, but were some of the first videos listed when ‘Huggy Wuggy’ is searched on YouTube.”
This alarming warning further emphasizes the necessity for parents to remain engaged with their children’s media consumption habits. Some reports indicate that children are watching the videos and replicating the activities.
Parents cannot turn a blind eye to what their children watch on television or streaming. Instead, parents can teach their children to be media-wise, asking their children media discernment questions in order to help them better process what they watch and know when some content is completely unacceptable for them.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
