Following a raft of nostalgia-inducing comebacks, the Furbys make their full return on July 15.
The retro toy craze has finally become a Furb-nomenon. Yes, no pun has been left unturned in the launch of the new Furby, which will come at the same time as the worldwide launch of the new Tamagotchi on July 15.
In a year that has also brought us soaring music cassette tape sales, rumours of a Blockbuster comeback and strong performances from booksellers Barnes & Noble and entertainment group HMV, the 1990s are truly back to the future with the return of the Furby.
Hasbro
Indeed, even before last month’s announcement, there had been speculation for months that Hasbro would release a new Furby to mark the toy’s 25th anniversary. A prototype was leaked on eBay in March, sparking a fan frenzy.
Little wonder. During a time of major digital disruption in the late 1990s, Furby became one of the toy world's biggest launches, with over 40 million units sold globally in the first three years.
To date, over 58 million have been sold worldwide.
"Following its craze-inducing launch in 1998, Furby has taken the world by storm, impacting every corner of the culture zeitgeist, from music to television and film," said Kristin McKay, VP and general manager, Hasbro fashion & preschool, in an understated launch pitch.
"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.”
No pressure there, then.
Furby Sales Surge On eBay
In fact Furby is so retro that the first to gain from increased interest are vintage Furby owners, with online marketplace eBay
Searches were up 25% month on month in June, as shoppers sought out original versions of the cult toy, according to eBay.
Despite conspiracy theories, Furby has sold 58 million units to date.
The search term ‘Hasbro Furby’ saw an 82% rise following the news of its 2023 return breaking compared with the prior month, with special edition Furbys seeing the biggest surge in June, with Royal Furby up 191% and President Furby up 76% year-on-year.
Of course there will always be haters. Back in 1998, some people suspected that Furbys could record and repeat conversations, while they were banned by the NSA and the Federal Aviation Adminstration over concerns that Furbys might interfere with plane’s instruments during takeoff.
In their anniversary incarnation, the new Furbys will feature an all-together-less-sinister five voice-activated modes and over 600 responses, including lights, sounds, and 10 songs.
“Over the past few years, we’ve done a lot of research to understand what kids would want to see in a new Furby,” said McKay. “Kids told us that it was important for Furby to be their ultimate best friend – a furry companion to do all the things a BFF would do, like dance to music, share fortunes, meditate, mimic each other in silly voices, and even put on a light show, and that’s exactly what we created.”
So put on your Walkman, hit play on No Jacket Required and get ready for Furby 2023, while not forgetting to keep your Tamagotchi alive.
