Schools Issue New Warnings As Poppy Playtime's Huggy Wuggy Fears Grow

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Schools in the UK have issued new warnings over Poppy Playtime's Huggy Wuggy as fears grow thanks to the character's viral presence across the internet. Horror indie game Poppy Playtime includes a host of terrifying characters, but Huggy Wuggy is perhaps the most popular, spawning merchandise, viral TikTok videos, and even playground games based on the fuzzy antagonist.

Poppy Playtime first released in 2021, with a second part, Chapter 2, launching earlier this summer. Players are tasked with escaping the mysterious Playtime Co. factory, hounded and followed by Huggy Wuggy inChapter 1, and Mommy Long Legs in Chapter 2. Poppy Playtime became a viral sensation, with YouTube and Twitch streams amassing millions of views. In part due to the seemingly-innocent design of the games' villains, bothChapter 1 and2 have become popular with younger audiences, sparking fears over whether or not the games are suitable for impressionable players and viewers. Earlier this year, police issued warnings over Poppy Playtime, with the characters being used in various TikTok videos and skits with the aim of scaring young fans.

Related: Why Police Are Warning Parents About Poppy Playtime

As reported by Manchester Evening News, some UK schools are now responding to fears over Poppy Playtime and Huggy Wuggy, warning parents and advising them what to do should their child access content deemed too scary for younger audiences. According to the publication, scary Huggy Wuggy content is mistakenly slipping through some parental controls across various devices, likely due to the seemingly family-friendly nature of his design. Schools including Bolton Parish Church C of E Primary School and Rochdale's St Mary's CE Primary School have now issued