The toy maker Hasbro has decided to bring back an iconic toy from the 90s that left shelves, and a hole in kids’ hearts, less than a decade ago: the Furby.
The toy giant is hoping to catch the wave of recent returns with its robotic creature that soared in popularity when it was first released in 1998.
Hasbro shared that it hopes this new generation of kids will “discover their own curious little creature” when the toys hit shelves next month.
The new toys will feature the same eyes as their predecessors and along with a variety of colored fur. The toys will also speak in gibberish and respond to hugs, pats, and tickles.
“Over the past few years, we’ve done a lot of research to understand what kids would want to see in a new Furby,” Kristin McKay, a vice president and general manager at Hasbro, shared.
The new Furby will have more than 600 responses programmed into it, including the ability to be “fed,” mimic sounds, and react to commands.
“For the brand’s 25th anniversary, we wanted to ignite the same excitement for this new generation by harnessing Furby’s power of nostalgia while giving Gen Alpha everything they crave,” McKay said.
The move from Hasbro comes as the toy industry fights a recent slowdown in demand as the country continues to fight higher prices.
Hasbro hopes to catch fire as it did two decades ago as the Furby sold more than 40 million units from 1998 to 2000, Hasbro shared.
The relaunch of the toy is being seen as an attempt to boost the company’s sales, which, Hasbro shared during an April earnings call, are expected to remain flat or decline this year.
Those looking to get into the nostalgia of the toy can purchase one now on Amazon, though they will return to stores on July 15.
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