A horror game franchise, officially rated PEGI 16, is reaching children as young as primary school through social media, other gaming platforms and even toys. Most adults remain unaware of what the game actually contains or its dangers. Here’s all that educators, safeguarding professionals, parents and carers need to know about Poppy Playtime.

The CEO of Mob Entertainment, Poppy Playtime’s developer, publicly acknowledged in early 2026 that the player base includes preschool-aged children alongside adults. However, even if parents and carers refuse to buy the game for children and young people, there are other ways for their interests to be piqued or for them to be exposed to the game’s lore and characters, including the more disturbing chapters.

The central concern is a significant mismatch between the franchise’s child-friendly surface and the content of its later chapters. When we last reviewed Poppy Playtime, Chapter 1 relied primarily on jump scares – startling but brief. Chapters 2 to 5 go much further. Content includes:

The IMDb Parents Guide currently rates violence in these chapters at 7 out of 10. This content is not intended for a young audience, and children can become frightened and disturbed by what they encounter in the game or within the fanbase – distressing images or storylines they may find difficult to process or forget.

Although Poppy Playtime doesn’t contain an in-game chat, the fan communities around it create real contact risks across other platforms, especially because the game also appeals to older players. Someone with harmful intentions could use this shared knowledge of the franchise to quickly establish false trust and expose a child to harm or even escalate their conversations to grooming or extortion.

If you spot any red flags for grooming such as anxiety after time spent online, unexplained gifts or secrecy about online contacts – have a calm, open conversation with the child. Follow your safeguarding procedures without delay if you are concerned and call 999 if a child is in immediate danger.

A child does not always tell an adult when something online has upset them. Possible indicators that a child has been impacted by Poppy Playtime may include:

Please note that these signs could be for a number of reasons and do not necessarily indicate that a child has been affected by Poppy Playtime.

Children are drawn to this franchise for a mix of reasons – curiosity, the appeal of accessing something beyond their age, or because it’s what their friends or online communities are talking about. Understanding the appeal helps you approach the conversation well.

Stay curious, not reactive. There is no need to introduce Poppy Playtime unprompted – broader questions about what your child is watching or playing achieve the same goal.

Every child should be able to name at least one trusted adult they can go to if something online worries them. The message is simple: “You can tell me anything. You will not be in trouble. I will always want to help.”

Children who feel they cannot speak to someone they know can contact Childline any time on 0800 1111 or at childline.org.uk.