Parents You Really Need To Know About Huggy Wuggy – What is Actually?
Huggy Wuggy!
The term really does not sound that alarming, but it has left many parents concerned about their children lately.
The way the world has been evolving with new tech, the internet boom, smartphones, social media, VR games, climate change, and COVID-19 – it’s no wonder parents cannot keep up with how fast things are happening around them.
Parents usually have no idea about internet slang and how children nowadays use it to converse with each other. Not to mention the growing number of queer games has got many parents worried. Terms like back to school necklace and slap-a-teacher challenges are raising the eyebrows of parents worldwide.
Does that mean Huggy Wuggy is one of those alarming signs as well? Keep reading this article if you want to find out.
What Is Huggy Wuggy?
It is the name of a Huggy Wuggy Poppy Playtime game character. It might sound like a cute, cuddly bear, but the character has a heinous, monstrous face with terrible-looking teeth. This monster is the evil villain from the 2021 PC horror game Poppy Playtime, produced by MOB Games.
Poppy Playtime is a survival game where the players have to solve puzzles to escape from Huggy Wuggy, who hunts them inside an abandoned toy factory. Although the monster looks like a blue furry stuffed animal, it is quite hideous when it opens its mouth
The players are in charge of the old employee who comes back, years later, to the abandoned factory after all the employees have disappeared. Though the game has cute designs and puzzles, the jump scares and occasional use of blood would overpower the cuteness of the designs.
A large part of the story of this game is based on human experimentation. These experiments that the game shows turn humans into toys, and that is the major reason behind the intelligent as well as monstrous toys roaming around the factory with the intention of killing the protagonist.
The game has a lot of bloodshed and is quite scary but not too violent. The developers are claiming that the game is suitable for kids from the age of eight. But it is important to note that there is no use of alcohol or drugs involved in the game, as well as any adult content.
School teachers and the police are often sending warning notes to parents with misinformation, which has created quite a stir with the term Huggy Wuggy. Although teachers and parents are only concerned about the children and its effects on children, it does not have any potential threat.
TikTok And YouTube’s Contribution:
The fear is usually aroused from different TikTok and YouTube content featuring the Huggy Wuggy character in some unsettling environment. The fear gets more intense due to the song that features Huggy Wuggy. The lyric of the song goes like this – “Cause I could just hug you here. Forever, forever. Till you breathe your last breath.”
Many video creators on different social platforms like YouTube and TikTok have created parodies of Huggy Wuggy. Although they are not meant for kids, they are only a few clicks away. This makes parents feel concerned about their children’s safety.
Such representation of a game character and the song is normally alarming for parents with early teens at home playing it. So, should you delete the game?
Who Is The Target Audience For The Game?
According to Forbes, who spoke to the CEO and President of Enchanted Mob, who created the game Poppy Playtime, “Poppy Playtime was not created with the intention to target any specific audience. Bear in mind that this was the first game our studio ever created, and our main priority was to create something that we would enjoy playing ourselves.”
He further added, “Beyond that, we have a passion for any content we create to be enjoyable by audiences of all ages. To us, it isn’t accurate to say that we created Poppy Playtime to be consumed by kids or adults, but rather our goal was simply to inspire and entertain anyone who decided to play the game.”
From Where Do Kids Learn About Huggy Wuggy?
Kids don’t have access to games like Poppy Playtime. So, from where are they learning about Huggy Wuggy? The answer lies in different social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Elementary school students cannot access games like Huggy Wuggy. But they can easily search Huggy Wuggy content on YouTube.
Although YouTube comes with a parental control option, children still get to watch Huggy Wuggy content on the platform. Since the name of this bear-monster hybrid is a cute one, it easily passes through YouTube’s filters.
The Deal Parochial Primary School in the U.K. has reported that children in the school were offering hugs to other children. And then, whispering vulgar words in their ears. Through the notes they have sent to the parents, it is evident that the reason for such behavior is the Huggy Wuggy Game.
Why Are Parents Concerned About Huggy Wuggy?
Although it is a funny game for adults and grown-ups, Poppy Playtime’s blue monster does demonstrate a dangerous display of the character. There is no gory activity in the game. However, the factory where the players are running has blood splattered all over.
The character has razor-sharp teeth and creepy eyes that create an upsetting image for children to look at. The blue monster of the Poppy Playtime has crossed the boundary of YouTube and TikToks and arrived at the playground. The act of giving a hug while whispering vulgar words in each other’s ears is not what children should do. This is why many adults are concerned about the game.
But how to help children who are involved in the Huggy Wuggy Game?
The Huggy Wuggy Issue: his Is How Adults Can Help Children
It is upsetting for children when they see things like Huggy Wuggy Fantart and Huggy Wuggy pictures. However, parents can help by staying vigilant about their children’s activities. Huggy Wuggy may not be of the same scale as Momo challenges or the dangerous Squid Game controversy. But parents still need to know and act to help their children in time.
Here are a few things parents need to focus on –
1. Stay Vigilant
It is impossible to stay updated on every little thing children are learning on the internet. But, parents should at least keep track of the different platforms their children are using on the internet.
2. Ask Questions
Parents can also ask open-ended questions to their kids. You can ask what a certain term about a certain game means through an open-ended conversation. This way, parents will understand their children’s thought processes and lead toward a positive conversation.
3. Empathize And Show Positive Direction
Children are hard to reason with, especially when they get into content such as Kissy Missy and Huggy Wuggy songs. But, parents can communicate and help children understand how such content can be harmful to them.
4. Leave The Door Open
Scary content, such as Huggy Wuggy videos, can be confusing and scary to children. However, parents should always encourage children to talk about how they feel. Tell your kids you are there to help in case they experience any difficult feelings. Always leave the door to conversations open.
What Is The Creator Of The Game Saying About All The Controversies?
In an interview with Forbes, Zach Belanger said, “The vast majority of the controversy we are seeing regarding warnings from schools about the Huggy Wuggy character are completely untrue and/or grossly exaggerated.”
He added, “One of the things we’ve read online is that Huggy Wuggy whispers creepy things into one’s ear while playing, but anyone who has actually played Poppy Playtime would know that Huggy Wuggy does not even have a voice in Chapter 1, so it’s impossible for him to have whispered anything.”
He ended with, “As far as we are aware, all of these warnings from schools are originating from fan made content based off of our game, but if you want my personal opinion, I do not think that any of these videos should be cause for concern, and we appreciate all the hard work and dedication our fans are put toward creating content inspired off of Poppy Playtime.”
What Is The Creator Of The Game Saying About All The Controversies?
In an interview with Forbes, Zach Belanger said, “The vast majority of the controversy we are seeing regarding warnings from schools about the Huggy Wuggy character are completely untrue and/or grossly exaggerated.”
He added, “One of the things we’ve read online is that Huggy Wuggy whispers creepy things into one’s ear while playing, but anyone who has actually played Poppy Playtime would know that Huggy Wuggy does not even have a voice in Chapter 1, so it’s impossible for him to have whispered anything.”
He ended with, “As far as we are aware, all of these warnings from schools are originating from fan made content based off of our game, but if you want my personal opinion, I do not think that any of these videos should be cause for concern, and we appreciate all the hard work and dedication our fans are put toward creating content inspired off of Poppy Playtime.”
Bottom Line
There were far more difficult harmful trends before Huggy Wuggy; parents and children had fought through those trends despite the harmful challenges. Hopefully, this dangerous trend will pass, too. Parents should be extra vigilant and always keep doors open for positive conversations if anything were to disturb their children.
I hope this article was helpful. If you have further queries, please let us know through the comment section. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
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