Parents are being warned about “sinister” characters in video games.
It’s a familiar phenomenon with Five Nights At Freddy’s and Bendy, the Ink Machine. Certain horror games have a unique charm that draws in younger audiences. 2021’s puzzle horror game Popeye Playtime is no exception. It’s not surprising that the game is set in an abandoned factory. Some kids love the title and its characters, most notably Huggy Wuggy.
I didn’t know what a Huggy Wuggy was until I began writing this chapter. Although its bright red lips and googly eyes are not exactly what I would call nightmares, Manchester Evening News reported that parents were warned to stop their children from viewing videos of the character.
The Suicide Awareness and Mental Health Initiative warns that parents should not allow their children to watch the horrifying TikTok and Youtube videos featuring the killer teddy. The bear sings of ‘hugging’ and ‘killing’ and asks people to ‘take their final breath.’ After some children were seen mimicking the bear’s actions in the playground, police warned about the character.
“One line reads, “I could hug you here forever, till your last breath together.” It says, “My teeth are sharp and ready, in mine grasp, yeah, they’re deadly.” “Lean in for a spine-breaking embrace” is another invitation from the blue bear.
It’s important to note that the examples used are lyrics taken from fan-made songs and not actual content from the game. You can see why this could be scary for little children and even more so for parents. Safer Schools suggests that parents refrain from discussing Huggy Wuggy and Popeye Playtime with their children unprompted to keep them from being curious.
