In the last few weeks a disturbing character, the monster Huggy Wuggy, antagonist of the horror video game "Poppy Playtime" (downloadable for free on Apple and Android devices with just one click), has also landed on the most diverse social media and video platforms, like TikTok and YouTube, through a large number of videos that portray him.
Children of all ages have literally gone crazy, also helped by the visibility given to the character by Italian social media celebrities like ‘Me Contro Te’, and the market's response was immediate: many Huggy Wuggy themed gadget advertisements begun to populate the web pages and the now famous puppet with blue fur and sharp teeth has become the inseparable companion of many children, who even take it to school.
The name of the character, which evokes hugs and suggests a cuddly little monster, certainly is deceiving, but the reality is very different and the video game has a PEGI 13 classification, which means it is not suitable for an audience under the age of 13. And the reasons are clear!
Huggy Wuggy can be scary, especially for the little ones, and the words of his song are threatening and disturbing:
Sharp teeth leave you bloody
Don't ever call me ugly
Hug me until you die.
The first reports to the police from worried parents started in England, following the dangerous emulations of the character in question by many children, with dangerous chases and violent behaviour in general.
According to psychologists, like all other horror, scary and frightening content, even the character of Huggy Waggy can lead children to have sleep disorders or anxiety.
Therefore, it is essential to select and limit the content that our children can have access to on devices such as mobile phones, personal computers and tablets, activating Parental Control and thus avoiding potential damage, and seriously rethink whether Huggy Wuggy is a suitable character / puppet for our children.
