Poppy Playtime full history: Complete timeline and events, explained

The world of Poppy Playtime is as deep and dark as an abyss, but thankfully for players, it’s easier to understand than Five Nights at Freddy’s. There’s a lot left undiscovered, alongside many mysteries concerning its overarching antagonists. As each chapter unveils, we learn more about Playtime Co.’s dark history, and get one step closer to discovering its truth.

Here’s a rundown of Poppy Playtime‘s lore, spanning from 1930 to 2005.

Poppy Playtime lore: Full history of Playtime Co.

Where it all began: The creation of Playtime Company

Playtime Company was created by Elliot Ludwig in 1930. Described as a “family man at heart,” Ludwig had a drive to spread joy to children. We know he divorced in 1930 and suffered a loss in the 1960s, who we theorize as the same child found in his home at the time of his passing. Ludwig founded Playtime Company to create toys and bring joy to its customers.

The start of success: Bringing joy to children

Ludwig went on to create Poppy Playtime in 1950, the first commercialized toy that behaved and spoke much like a human. She would later be sealed in a glass container, which The Player opens in the first chapter. A decade after Poppy’s successful launch, Ludwig created the Make-a-Friend machine, then switched his attention onto creating new toys. Bron was made in 1961 and Boxy Boo in 1966. Following success, the Young Geniuses Program opened for intelligent children, where they may have been subject to experimentation. At this time, Ludwig let Dr. Harley Sawyer go due to his lack of humility in the program.

Playcare, an orphanage to partake in the Young Geniuses Program and provide shelter for the homeless opened beneath Playtime Co.’s factory. Presumably around this time, Experiment 814 was conducted on a dead rat, where poppy gel was used to resurrect the animal. We assume the same substance is used on experiments in the Bigger Bodies Initiative and likely links to Ludwig’s death sometime within the 1980s. An eviscerated child was discovered in Ludwig’s home. Was he trying to use the poppy gel to bring this child back to life following The Prototype‘s discovery? It’s hard to say without an accurate date on its creation.

After Playcare’s grand opening in 1976, Candy Cat was made in 1979, Huggy Wuggy in 1984, Kissy Missy in 1985, and Swap-imals: Cat-Bee and PJ Pug-a-Pillar, all before 1990. It’s uncertain when and why The Prototype (Experiment 1006) was created, but this entity is assumed to be the culprit of The Hour of Joy. Playtime Co. continue to torment this entity, who has an affinity to the orphans in Playcare, and acts as the leader to the successful experiments. Throughout the events in 2005, The Prototype keeps toys you’ve defeated alive by fusing them to its body.

The reason for failure: Playtime Co.’s decline

The Smiling Critters cartoon aired in 1989, causing controversy when CatNap’s toy gave children nightmares with its red smoke mechanic. During this time, the Warrenbach Construction Company was hired to create the secret laboratory in Playtime Co. With the lab built, Lieth Pierre, Head of Innovation, rehired Harley Sawyer, who would go on to create the Bigger Bodies Initiative to save the company from bankruptcy following the factory’s controversies (CatNap recall and Ludwig’s destroyed reputation). The first successful experiment was Boxy Boo, who would later assassinate Rowan Stoll after raising a complaint in 1991 about Huggy Wuggy’s moving eyes.

Sawyer’s innovation at a time of desperation: The Bigger Bodies Initiative

Shortly following Boxy Boo’s Bigger Body, Bron was made using Thomas Clarke, a full-time employee diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Volunteering to become Bron, Experiment 1199 wasn’t accepted by other successful experiments. Boxy Boo consumed Clarke and destroyed his voice box. He has since been kept in solitary confinement. Yarnaby was created with Quinn Navidson, an orphan who was manipulated by Harley Sawyer to become his personal puppet. Theodore Grambell, an orphan close to The Experiment (1006), would be critically injured attempting to help Experiment 1006 escape. He became the perfect candidate as CatNap, to watch over Playcare and induce sleep on experiment candidates using his red smoke. Meanwhile, Sawyer grew obsessed with The Prototype.

Mommy Long Legs creation came in two forms in 1991; the first as a commercialized toy, the second as Experiment 1222 (using the orphan, Marie Payne). She quickly became the maternal figure for other experiments, giving her authority as the Game Station’s overseer. Huggy Wuggy (Experiment 1170) acted as the security in Playtime Co., stationed at the factory entrance, masquerading as a statue. He attempted to escape the facility in 1992 as ordered by The Prototype, killing five employees and causing the disappearance of six others. Boogie Bot was made in 1993, the last creation we know of. Staff grew suspicious and scared of the experiments, although they didn’t know they were real at the time. An employee, Marcas Brickley, spoke of a 50-foot long creature with a thousand legs (presumably PJ Pug-a-Pillar). His concern was shut down by Leith Pierre.

Rowan Stoll was the first known staff member to be killed by an experiment, as ordered by Playtime Co in summer 1991. The Head of Information Technology, Stoll had a concern about Huggy Wuggy after seeing his eyes move. Likely learning about the Bigger Bodies Initiative, he attempted to retract his formal complaints in hopes to release classified information on the program. But it was too late, and Boxy Boo consumed him before word got out.

The Hour of Joy: The closure of Playtime Co.

On Aug. 8, 1995, we lay witness to The Hour of Joy, recorded on the Playtime Co.’s cameras. During this time, The Prototype had mysteriously vanished, but was quickly blamed for the event. This rebellion resulted in the death of many staff, whose bodies were thrown into the factory’s depths, as a food source for all toys. The factory doors quickly shut following The Hour of Joy, where Leith Pierre sent Survivors to retrieve Toy Parts (presumably to continue the Bigger Bodies Initiative elsewhere). The Survivors were killed by Boxy Boo, Huggy Wuggy, and Kissy Missy; who offered their bodies as food source, keeping the toys alive for a decade.

Dr. Harley Sawyer uses the Playtime Co.’s email in 2002 to warn those curious about the factory to stay away. This brings us to 2005, the year Poppy Playtime takes place.

Returning to Playtime: Who is The Player?

Following a mysterious VHS tape and letter attached to it, The Player revisits the now-abandoned Playtime Co. after being lured there by curiosity that the employees during The Hour of Joy are still alive. Using the GrabPack to navigate around Playtime Co.’s many code violations, we quickly learn the security in this facility is up and running, and has the sole intention to consume your innards. Giant toys roam the dark corridors, leading you further into Playtime’s depths. You release Poppy Playtime, the first successful toy of the company, who is highly intelligent. She tells you The Prototype is to blame for everything, later showing you The Hour of Joy tape, revealing the massacre that occurred and resulted in the factory’s closure in 1995.

You find the Playcare, an orphanage used for twisted intentions, where you learn that the giant toys are orphans, captured and tricked by the company. While it’s unknown how they’re turned into toys, Experiment 814 tells us Ludwig was trying to see if poppy gel could revive a dead rat. Although unconfirmed, his drive and hope could have been to resurrect his daughter.

We theorize Ludwig’s daughter transferred over to Poppy (which is why she was kept safe behind glass). She reached out to one of the few Playtime Co. members who avoided The Hour of Joy, asking them to find the poppy flower. The misspelling of “we’re” points to Poppy being a child, like many other experiments. There’s still mystery surrounding who The Player is in Poppy Playtime. Excellent at the Game Station tests, there’s the possibility we were one of the Playcare orphans. Other theories are we’re playing as villainous Leith Pierre, rebellious P.W, or regretful Stella Greyber—with P.W being the most likely choice.

Poppy Playtime timeline, summarized

• 1930 – Elliot Ludwig created Playtime Co. Around this time, the Warrenbach Construction Company opened.
• 1950 – Poppy Playtime was created.
• 1960 – Elliot Ludwig created the Make-a-Friend machine.
• 1961 – Bron was created.
• 1966 – Boxy Boo was created.
• 1970-1979 – While a specific date hasn’t been pinpointed, Ludwig launched the Young Geniuses Program to engage and test children in scientific endeavors.
• 1976 – Playcare, an orphanage underneath Playtime Co. was created.
• 1979 – Candy Cat was created.
• 1983 – Kick-me-Paul was created, scrapped, and destroyed.
• 1984 – Huggy Wuggy was created.
• 1985 – Kissy Missy was created.
• 1985-1989 – Swap-imals, Cat-Bee and PJ Pug-a-Pillar were created. Elliot Ludwig passed sometime in the ’80s. A disemboweled child was discovered at his house at the time of his passing, creating controversy for Playtime Company.
• 1989 – The Smiling Critters were created, alongside their cartoon that featured CatNap, a controversial toy that gave consumers headaches. CatNap was recalled shortly following the controversy. Warrenbach Construction were hired to build the secret laboratory in Playtime Co.
• 1990 – The Bigger Bodies Initiative was made, founded by Harley Sawyer (The Doctor) and the Game Station was made. Experiment 1166, Yarnaby, was a success for Sawyer, creating a submissive and loyal creature through manipulating Quinn Navidson. Shortly after this, Theodore Grambell was transformed into CatNap (Experiment 1188) following his attempted escape with the Prototype.
• 1991 – Mommy Long Legs was created. A Playtime Co. employee brought up his concern to Leith Pierre regarding a large creature roaming around the facility. Experiment 1170 (Huggy Wuggy) and 1222 (Mommy Long Legs) were made to serve Playtime Co. Rowan Stoll raised a complaint regarding the moving eyes of Huggy Wuggy (believed to be a statue at this time). Stoll seemingly learns about the Bigger Bodies Initiative and is killed by Boxy Boo before releasing any damning evidence against the company.
• 1992 – Huggy Wuggy escaped the facility at night, killing five employees and a six others went missing. Huggy Wuugy was retrieved outside of a suburban house.
• 1993 – Boogie Bot was created.
• Aug. 8, 1995 – Playtime Co. closed following The Hour of Joy, initiated by The Prototype as a murderous takeover by the Bigger Bodies Initiative Experiments. Playtime Co. staff were murdered and consumed, their bodies sent to the facility depths as a food source for the living experiments.
• 1995 – Leith Pierre sent Survivors to collect Toy Parts (PROJECT: PLAYTIME), who were stopped by Huggy Wuggy, Mommy Long Legs, and Boxy Boo. When the food source grew scarce, the experiments began consuming smaller toys. This lasted for a decade.
• 2002 – Harley Sawyer used Playtime Co.’s account to warn others to stay out of that facility.
• 2005 – The Player is sent a mysterious letter and VHS tape luring them back to the now-abandoned Playtime Co.