Poppy Playtime takes place 10 years after the Playtime Co. Toy Factory was shut down due to its entire staff mysteriously disappearing inside. Founded by Elliot Ludwig, Playtime Co.’s goal in Poppy Playtime was to create the most lifelike toys to ever be sold. Poppy herself was created in 1950, while the infamous Huggy Wuggy was created later in 1984 and quickly became Playtime Co.’s most popular toy and mascot. With the help of the company’s head of innovation, Laith Pierre, and the Make-A-Friend Machine, Playtime Co. succeeded at producing the most incredible toys on the market. However, nobody knows what actually happened to the factory’s staff, and according to a letter players receive at the beginning of Poppy Playtime, all of the employees are still inside.
In addition to their lifelike toys, Playtime Co. also ran a childcare program with the goal of giving orphaned children a “chance at new life.” Named the Playtime Co. Foster and Adoptive Care Initiative, the program was created to help orphans from all over the world, not just the Midwest where the factory is apparently located. Playtime Co. employees in Poppy Playtime were encouraged to adopt or foster children, though the program seemed to put some strain on the workers and may have been run inefficiently, leading some fans to speculate that the entire initiative may have been a cover for more sinister intentions.
