The Furby: Creepy and in demand
In 1998 a new kind of toy hit the market. It was called the Furby, and it did everything from sleep to talk smack in its own language: Furbish.
The Furby was a smash hit, tens of millions of them sold over the next few years. This year toymaker Hasbro had a brainstorm: bring the Furby back. Already the toy has been a hit this holiday season.
“You start to project or see autonomous behavior, and then you’re not sure if it’s alive or not,” says Furby co-creator Caleb Chung. “And so it becomes creepy.”
Making an emotional connection with kids is what’s important to designing a toy that can span generations. Chung doesn’t seem to mind if adults aren’t enamored by the Furby’s mystique, after all they made him some serious cash.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
