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Playtime Co.
Playtime Co. General Tropes
"What's the time? Playtime!"
For years, Playtime Co. was once a thriving business that catered to developing toys for children and families alike, but as the player discovers while exploring the abandoned building, there's a Dark Secret hiding behind its cheery facade...
- Ambiguous Situation: Why weren't they investigated and exposed after the sudden disappearance of its many employees? Chapter 3's ARG seems to imply the company has at least one investigator on payroll so a greater connection to the local police might be at play covering it up but nothing has been confirmed.
- Asshole Victim: Deconstructed. There’s no doubt the organization needed to end. With all the pain they caused and lives they ruined you'd think everyone would feel cathartic about the Hour of Joy in which the same monsters they created brought upon them their brutal fates. However, in the words of Poppy Playtime (likely one of the first kids transformed into toys) it didn't change anything and was little more than senseless slaughter; she even admits those unaware of the experiments didn't deserve to be killed.
- Bad Boss: Where to even begin?
- For starters, Playtime Co. would regularly mistreat employees by forcing them to work in dangerous work environments for long periods of time. Playtime Co. wasn't above killing their employees to keep the company's secrets hidden from the outside world either.
- The management would regularly dismiss the concerns of working employees who were unnerved by the dangerous working conditions or other concerns they had about the secrets within the establishment. As for lawsuits the company would bribe ex-employees to keep quiet about the business. And that's not even mentioning the Bigger Bodies Initiative...
- Playtime Co. would also use cute propaganda to encourage employees to follow their rules at all costs such as the Adopt an Orphan initiative.
- Some sections of Playtime Co. like the Game Station and Playcare were used to indoctrinate orphans. For being tested by becoming a potential living mascot.
- Then there is everything about the Bigger Bodies initiative where the company would develop living toy mascots to replace human workers.
- Many employees also perished within the complex due the living mascots killing them or the higher-ups using employees and orphans as subjects for the Bigger Bodies Initiative.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Can't be bothered to treat employees fairly, the advice on their posters is unsafe from a health and safety perspective, they have an old factory which is extremely dangerous to work in and the existence of an Orphanage of Love within the premises is head-scratching at best. And that’s not even mentioning the various unethical and nightmarish experiments that created living mascots to roam the factory years later.
- Dangerous Workplace: When the Playtime Co factory was being utilised the factory seemed like a fairly safe working complex. However, as the game shows the factory had many secret sections where horrifying and unethical events took place. By the time the actual game occurs the factory is in a ruined state with large chasms present in the lower areas. And the living mascots will kill anyone who enters the ruined complex. Just look at Huggy Wuggy as he hunts down the Player in Chapter 1.
- Everybody's Dead, Dave: Chapter 3 reveals that the Hour of Joy was the systematic slaughter of all the humans (be they employee or otherwise) in the Playtime Co. building by the Prototype and other experiments. Only the Player was apparently the sole survivor of the factory's hundreds of people. The reason they lived? They weren't there at the time. Talk about dodging a bullet.
- Evil, Inc.: Ultimately, behind a family-friendly facade Playtime Co. committed evil acts for the sake of making money.
- Faction Motto: Can also be interpreted as Arc Words. Their motto is "What's the time? Playtime!", and it’s used in almost every tape instructing the player.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Playtime. Co has long since shut down, having caused its own downfall by using orphans and employees as experiments for living mascots that went feral and killed everyone within the factory, making them responsible for all the events that occurred in Poppy Playtime and Project Playtime.
- No OSHA Compliance: Employee safety is nonexistent at Playtime Co. since the entire factory is a dangerous place to work in.
- Skewed Priorities: Everything about the Bigger Bodies Initiative is this. Why continue hiring human workers when you can simply make living toy mascots to do the work for Playtime Co. at a better rate. What could possibly go wrong?
- Start of Darkness: At some point in the 1960s founder Elliot Ludwig lost a close family member. It has been widely speculated that this incident caused Playtime Co. to begin experimenting with living toy mascots over the next thirty years. The specific motive for Playtime Co. starting the experiments is still unknown however.
- Un-person: Playtime Co. has a habit of making employees disappear from the company if they go against working policies.
Notable Personnel
The Player
The Player's character model
The Player Character and a former employee of Playtime Co. A letter from a presumed coworker brings them back to their former place of employment to uncover the fate of their colleagues.- Action Survivor: The Player becomes one after surviving their encounters with Huggy Wuggy and Mommy Long Legs, and the fact they're the only survivor of a mass disappearance event speaks volumes. This was even noted by Poppy in Chapter 3, which is why she wants him to stay and help her defeat the Prototype.
- Ambiguously Evil: It’s all but confirmed that the protagonist was a high-ranking member responsible for the experiments on the orphans. It’s currently unknown the motive of the player to return, perhaps to either free the souls as a way to redeem themself or to keep their past buried. Chapter 3 seems to place them into being good, with them having a guilt-based hallucination if it is anything to consider. It's unknown whether they personally had a hand in the experimentation or just have Survivor's Guilt.
- The Atoner: Possibly. Mommy recognizes them as an employee, implying at the very least they were one of the scientists. They also returned to the Playtime factory to rescue their coworkers, if the letter and Poppy's cut dialogue are any indications.
- During the first exposure with the Red Mist the player receives a good old-fashioned speech of all the things they did wrong while working for the company from a VHS, but in reality, all those words probably came from their subconscious.
VHS: And should you come back years later, your conscience finally getting the better of you. May you descend into the dark and the dust finding all that awaits you are incomprehensible horrors each hungry for your return, each eager that they may find you. - Awesome Backpack: Their GrabPack, besides having a fairly cool appearance, has multiple utility functions inside it - the pneumatic-powered "hands" are capable of pulling and pushing objects from a longer distance than a normal human being is usually capable of doing.
- In Chapter 2, their GrabPack is shown to be able to hold electricity inside of it, with the cables being capable of providing energy and completing circuits. The green hand that ends up replacing the red hand in Chapter 2 (after Mommy Long Legs snatches it away) is capable of retaining electricity. This hand is destroyed at the end of Chapter 3 when it's used to deliver an electrical shock to CatNap.
- In Chapter 3, their GrabPack gains two new hands which can be swapped over to be replaced. The first is a purple hand that allows the protagonist to jump off purple pads over gaps and onto higher areas. The second is an orange finger gun-styled hand that can fire off flares that scare off the Smiling Critters for a brief period of time.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: The Player returns to the abandoned Playtime Co. factory they worked at to discover the fate of their missing colleagues, but soon finds themself running for survival from the killer, sentient toys.
- Combat Pragmatist: While the Player is in no way equipped to battle the Bigger Body mascots in a head-on fight and chooses to run for their lives when they start chasing, that doesn't mean they're completely helpless. Using their GrabPack, they can move around obstacles to outrun the monsters and kill some of them using the environment.
- In Chapter 1, the Player pulls a crate onto a crumbling catwalk just as Huggy bursts from the vents, causing it to collapse. The Player manages to land safely on another catwalk not far below, but Huggy hits the railing and falls into the abyss of the facility.
- After being chased by Mommy Long Legs in Chapter 2, one of her hands gets caught in a grinder. The Player kills her by turning the grinder on, pulling her in as she's crushed to death.
- In Chapter 3, after getting hunted by Miss Delight in Playcare's school, they crush the crazy teacher by dropping a large shutter on top of her.
- In the last battle of Chapter 3 against CatNap, he lunges at the Player from the ceiling vent and gets electrocuted by their overcharged green GrabPack hand. CatNap tries to exhale his red smoke, but the electricity from the GrabPack hand ignites the gas (which turns out to be very explosive), causing his body to burst into flames. While the Player technically doesn't kill CatNap (The Prototype did that for them), they were able to wound him mortally.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Possible, as it’s heavily implied that The Player was a major head of the company as they were taking part in the torture of children to become toys. It’s speculated as well they are the Head of Security.
- Determinator: No matter what happens, even if they die, they keep going. This is a trait Poppy finds instrumental in setting the wrongs in the factory right.
- Failure Hero: The Player tries to escape from the facility upon getting trapped down there, but is always ambushed by a mascot at the last stretch every single time the moment an exit is discovered.
- Featureless Protagonist: We don't even get a name for them. While they do appear in merchandise, they're only portrayed by the yellow dummy-like figure seen in the training tapes and just simply called "Player".note
- Genre Blindness: They continue to venture deeper into the factory, despite the very obvious red flags that keep piling up around them (blood splatters on the walls, ominous VHS tapes, a Huggy Wuggy statue coming to life and stalking them). Chapter 3 reveals they're The Atoner and trying to make things right.
- Heroic Mime: They don't speak a single word during the game, nor do they show audible reactions to the horrifying things they find at the factory.
- Indy Ploy: The only they have going for them is their creativity with the Grab-pack and making use of the factories' features and environment to send the hostile toys to their death. This includes dropping a huge box on Huggy causing him to plummet several stories below, mashing Mommy with gears, crushing Miss Delight with a heavy door, and electrocuting CatNap.
- Late to the Tragedy: For some unknown reason, the Player wasn't in the factory on August 8th, 1995. In the end, this ended up saving their life since "The Hour of Joy" occurred at 11:00 AM on that day, when the Prototype took control of every living toy in the factory and had them indiscriminately kill everyone inside of it. During a red smoke hallucination in Chapter 3, there's an implication the Player feels guilty about being the only one left alive after everyone seemingly disappeared without an explanation and jumped at the chance to return to the factory when they received a strange letter telling them to "find the flower." It's also revealed this happened 10 years ago.
- Nice Guy: Seeing as they returned to a place that must hold at best traumatic memories for them at the mere chance they might be able to help their coworkers. Seemingly now up in the air given their past. Ultimately played straight as it is revealed he feels tremendous remorse for his actions.
- No Name Given: Currently unknown what their name is. It’s speculated their name is “Jay Bohemian”.
- Quaking with Fear: Displayed in Chapter 2. During Mommy Long Legs' pursuit of them, they noticeably get shaken whenever she's near them while they hide from her.
- Rocket Punch: The player defeats CatNap by launching the overcharged Green hand at him, delivering both a debilitating shock and igniting the red smoke that CatNap tries to emit, at the cost of losing the hand.
- Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: Despite returning to the Playtime Co. factory to learn what happened there all those years ago, the Player immediately tries to find a way out; nearly getting eaten alive by a giant statue will make anyone change their mind. It's easier said than done, as obstacles and more dangers stop them from leaving. To make things worse, at the end of Chapter 2, Poppy sends them deeper into the factory to help her kill the Prototype, making escape even harder.
- Sole Survivor: Whatever happened at Playtime Co. ten years ago, they were the only ones to come out of it. Chapter 3 reveals that when the Prototype and the other mascot characters started the "Hour of Joy," the Player was the only person who survived while hundreds of their coworkers died. They just lucked out and weren't at the factory when it happened.
- Super Prototype: In Chapter 3, they gain the Grab-pack 2.0, which allows for several features: Longer wires, air jets that can break falls (eliminating falling damage for non-fatal traps), and the ability to switch hands.
- Survivor Guilt: When the Player gets hit with red smoke for the first time in Chapter 3, they hallucinate, watching an employee training video. The speech starts getting more pointed, talking to the Player directly and mocking them about their "guilty conscience." The hallucination could hint that the Player feels remorseful over the fact they were the only person who survived while everyone else at the factory vanished.
- Swiss-Cheese Security: They somehow managed to enter the abandoned Playtime Co. factory with no obstacles and bypass the front door which meant it was strangely unlocked. It's downplayed as the Factory's security, Huggy Wuggy, chases you not long after.
- Trauma Button: After surviving the Huggy Wuggy chase in Chapter 1 and defeating him, the Player seems to have a lingering fear of him from the encounter. This is backed up by the appearance of Huggy Wuggy in a series of hallucination sequences in Chapter 3 the Player witnesses. Notably, Mommy Long Legs does not appear in any of the hallucination sequences within Chapter 3 despite the Player being chased by her and defeating her during Chapter 2.
- Underestimating Badassery: On the receiving end of this, the many toys they face simply toy with them to make them as terrified as possible before killing them. They didn't expect that the player was such a capable Action Survivor. It also justified given the toys' success in the systematic slaughter of Playtime Co. during the "Hour of Joy" being reliant on simply attacking everyone out of nowhere and slowly starving to death after a decade.
- Unluckily Lucky: The Player's luck is all over the place. They were the only survivor of a mass disappearance event, but they soon found themselves trapped and on the run from killer toys in the abandoned factory where they worked. Despite the situation, they're resourceful enough to survive the monstrous mascots and kill some of them, which is an accomplishment. Chapter 3 reveals that the Player missed the "Hour of Joy" and avoided getting killed by the Prototype and the mascots simply by not being at the factory when everything went to hell.
- Wrecked Weapon: Downplayed. The Player only loses the Red hand near the start of Chapter 2 thanks to Mommy Long Legs, and later gets the Green hand as a replacement. In Chapter 3, the Green hand is later destroyed during the final conflict with CatNap, after the player has obtained the Purple and Orange hands.
Elliot Ludwig
"We owe everything to these children; this company and its toys are nothing without them."
Click here to see Elliot Ludwig's face
Voiced by: David L. Strickland
The founder of Playtime Co. and the creator of some of its most successful mascot characters.
- Ambiguously Evil: He might have had good intentions, and perhaps he didn't mean any harm to the kids or employees, but we still have to contend with a factory of killer toys, so.....
- Chapter 3 shows a news report of a child's body in his estate. It is unknown if he actually killed the kid or was framed by someone else.
- Dark and Troubled Past: He was divorced by the time he started Playtime Co. In the 1960s, he also suffered an unspecified death in the family that presumably hit him hard.
- The Faceless: Zigzagged. He's the first thing the player sees when the game starts (announcing the Poppy doll), yet any of his other appearances in-game have his face covered up.
- Flower Motif: Like Poppy Playtime, he's heavily associated with Red Poppies. The key to his office is designed with a red poppy, and he once killed a rat and then tried to bring it back to life using poppy extract and electric shocks.
- Frame-Up: Chapter 3 implies he was framed with the murder and dismemberment of a child, whose body was found at his estate (which went against everything else that was known about him, and his own philosophy).
- Friend to All Children: He's portrayed as one by his documentary, which states that it was his life's goal to make toys for children. His office is also plastered with drawings by grateful children, thanking him and expressing how much they love his creations.
- He Knows Too Much: Implied to have been killed by Harley when he tried to stop the operations.
- Mad Scientist: Heavily implied by the note found in his office. He once killed a rat and then tried to bring it back to life using poppy extract and electric shocks. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work, but that didn't perturb him; in the note, he expresses his utter confidence that the poppy must be the key, and even thinks about retrying the experiment on a bigger subject.
- Mr. Alt Disney: Has a bit of this going on, being presented to the public as a visionary toy creator while hiding possible ulterior motives behind closed doors.
- Posthumous Character: During the player character's first red gas hallucination, the radios that they keep running into mention an incident where the corpse of a child was found at the property of the "late" Elliot Ludwig, implying that he is already dead by the beginning of the game.
- Shout-Out: His backstory and desire to spread his vision to many people along with the fall of Playtime Co. could be a reference to Andrew Ryan and his underwater city of Rapture which had a similar fate to the Playtime Co. factory. Another similarity is that both Andrew and Elliot had their idealistic vision hijacked by their business partners (Frank Fontaine and Harley Sawyer respectively) for their own nefarious purposes.
- Unperson: Downplayed, but the tape of his documentary has his face completely blacked out and cuts off right before getting to a section about a really important year in which... something happened.
- Uncertain Doom: His current status is unknown at this time, as it seemed The Doctor took over operations from Elliot at one point. Given that the game most likely takes place in 2005 or laternote it's also possible he simply died of old age, since he'd most likely need to be at least 90-something by then to have also gotten divorced in 1930. All that being said, it's known that the company's main experiment was placing human consciousnesses into mascot bodies that never seem to age, so it's possible he's still around even if his original body is long-dead.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Possibly so, and likely subverted, as his research and experiments into the resurrection power of poppy flowers are implied to be the starting point of the Bigger Bodies Initiative and their own goals of turning people into living toys. His motive for the research, however, is unclear; all we know is that he was determined to figure it all out and wanted to try it with something bigger, which may mean that he had nefarious intentions.
- Vague Age: He's mentioned to have been divorced in 1930 and, while it isn't clear when the game takes place, he'd have to be in his 90s by the time the factory was shuttered. Of note is how he doesn't even look particularly aged, either.
Leith Pierre
Voiced by: Robin Nelson
The Head of Innovation at Playtime Co., Leith Pierre is a no-nonsense worker.
- Big Brother Is Watching: The Innovations department is revealed to be just a place for employees to monitor the workplace at all times.
- Blatant Lies: Tells Marcas "We build toys, not monsters!" when the latter tells him he saw "a monster" with a "ton of legs" (in other words, PJ). Neither Marcas nor the Player buys it.
- Bullying a Dragon: Leith Pierre is heard in a tape in Chapter 3 checking up on CatNap, and after asking if his voice box was broken, CatNap simply says "The Prototype will save us." Leith doesn't take him seriously, even insulting him by saying "This prison is where you belong" and telling him to get use to his new life.
- Conditioned to Accept Horror: He treats CatNap with a completely mundane, almost bored tone, despite CatNap being a horrific experiment of a child turned into a giant toy. Even after CatNap speaks in a demonic sounding voice, Leith just responds like he's a wayward child or employee.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: A textbook example of this trope. Not only is he very rude and disrespectful to his employees like Marcas Brickley and Sharon, he is also willing (and is implied to know) to keep the secrets of Playtime Co. hidden and has possibly "silenced" individuals who jeopardize the secrecy.
- Dragon Ascendant: Somewhat. After Ludwig's death, Dr. Sawyer took over initiatives, but in chapter 3 it appears that Pierre was the main one calling the shots.
- Phrase Catcher: After a fashion. "Innovation is Key" shows up in several places throughout the game. As the head of innovation, Leith automatically comes to mind, but any actual connection remains to be seen.
- He Who Must Not Be Seen: Many tapes and voiceovers of Leith can be heard throughout the franchise, yet he is never seen in the flesh.
- Ironic Name: His name means "Lion" in arabic, though based on the list of D Os and DON'Ts in Chapter 1, he was quite cowardly.
- Jerkass: Revealed to be a major prick in Chapter 2, talking down to Marcas and even implying he's going to kill or ruin him for seeing something he shouldn't have. Also extends to his treatment of Sharon, his assistant, by insulting her lack of proper boom operating and calling her an idiot for that. He even states that "idiots get fired", which is obviously directed to her.
- Karmic Butt-Monkey: Was scared enough by colleagues in the same way that a Do and Don't poster states: "Do... NOT hide behind doors to scare Leith Pierre.". Still, he certainly deserves worse than being scared by his coworkers.
- Mean Boss: Chapter 2 reveals him to be this, if his interactions with Marcas are anything to go by. Also his interaction with Sharon in the Playtime Co. Digital Collection tape.
- Mission Control: In Project: Playtime, he directs the player character during the first tutorial area. From his tone, he's apparently not much concerned about the monsters that roam the factory...
- Mr. Exposition: Is the one giving the Survivor tutorial in Project: Playtime.
- New Jobs As The Plot Demands: Officially he's the head of Innovation. He also frequently shows up in various tapes shilling Playtime Merch, filling in for Dr. Sawyer at one point to check in on an experiment, instructing resource extraction specialist.
- Pet the Dog:
- In the Project: Playtime tutorial, he explains how to extract other players by telling you to "save Johnny", because "he deserves it". Showcases that even if Leith is a condescending and corrupted businessman, he'd rather not have his employees dead and shows some amount of respect for them doing their job.
- A minor example, but he asks for Bigger Body CatNap's name and subsequently calls him Theo rather than Experiment 1188 or CatNap.
- Uncertain Doom: He is confirmed to be alive in Project Playtime, which takes place sometime after the Hour of Joy. It’s unknown if he’s still alive by the time of Poppy Playtime, which takes place ten years later.
- You, Get Me Coffee: In the "Potential Problem" tape, he asks Marcas to bring him coffee, before changing his mind and telling him to get out of his sight.
Dr. Harley Sawyer
Voiced by: Baldwin Williams Jr.
A former business partner of Elliot, creator of the Bigger Bodies Initiative, and, consequently, the one responsible for Project: Playtime's (and, by extension, Poppy Playtime's) events.
- Admiring the Abomination: During a tape in Chapter 3, Dr. Sawyer expresses excitement over analyzing and searching through the abilities of the Prototype.
- Asshole Victim: If the implication that he was murdered and made into an experiment by the Prototype is true, no crying or pity is to be had for him, given the horrors he inflicted on orphan and employee alike and the unempathetic and greedy monster he is.
- Berserk Button: When he finds out a camera has been recording him and his oversight of the new Boxy Boo monster, he is furious and orders the camera to be turned off.Dr. Harley Sawyer: WHO IS THAT? TURN OFF THAT CAMERA, NOW!
- Child Hater: This guy is responsible for the deaths of many orphaned children during the Bigger Bodies Initiative. However, some of his victims are also adult factory employees.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Probably even worse than Leith Pierre regarding this trope. Not only is Sawyer responsible for the creation of a project that created living toys out of human orphans and employees, but he is also apathetic to the loss of any employees and is willing to do anything to allow Playtime Co. to stay afloat.
- Diabolical Mastermind: He is the founder and chief supporter of the Bigger Bodies Initiative, which turns people into living toys and not in a very nice way. He also uses the living toys to his advantage and have them fulfill various roles to ensure the BBI is working efficiently, including Huggy Wuggy as security.
- Evil Is Petty: His motivation for turning orphans (and eventually employees) into sapient toys? He didn't want to pay his employees and treat them right.
- Chapter 3 implies that not only did he possibly have Elliot Ludwig killed so he doesn't interfere with the Bigger Bodies Initiative, but was also likely responsible for the body of a dismembered child being found on late Ludwig's estate, to further sully his reputation.
- For Science!: When the Prototype asks Sawyer whether or not he feels remorse for the actions he committed, The Doctor simply dismisses and dodges the question, simply justifying his actions with the interest about the experiments and finding answers.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Acts as this for Project: Playtime, and by extension, is one for the series as a whole. He created the Bigger Bodies Initiative, which is why all of the giant toys that attack the player exist in the first place.
- Greed: One of his most defining qualities. His entire motive is centered around simply trying to cut spending for his employees and replacing them.
- Hate Sink: Dr. Sawyer by far is the only human and to an extent the only character in the entire Poppy Playtime franchise to not have any redeeming or sympathetic qualities whatsoever. Not only that, he also experimented on numerous people, children included, to make them into what they are now, and he doesn't even care about the wellbeing of the toys or the Playtime Co. employees under his watch.
- Humans Are the Real Monsters: Despite the Toys being the main threat, almost all of them are a variation of a Tragic Monster. Harley Sawyer, on the other hand, is one of the least redeemable characters in the story, whose torturing and experimentation of children has caused the very plot of the story to happen.
- Immortality Immorality: His voice lines in the Project Playtime Phase 2: Incineration - Official Launch Trailer
show him as desiring immortality. And he's willing to do incredibly unethical experiments, particularly on the Prototype to figure out how.Harley Sawyer: Mortality is the curse of the weak, the fire that incinerates the flesh. I strive to snuff that flame. Call me a monster, but I am simply a man who escaped incineration and embraced the infinite! - In-Series Nickname: His nickname is "The Doctor", which may mean he is also a scientist.
- Jerkass: Underneath Harley's contrastingly polite demeanor is that of a ruthless, despicable, and greedy man who doesn't really care much for other people and was willing to experiment on living beings solely for personal gain.
- Lack of Empathy: Doesn't care much about the toys and employees under his watch or the pain and suffering his actions put them through. A tape in Chapter 3 reveals the Prototype asked him whether he "feels" anything. Likely meaning it’s asking him whether he feels even the slightest hint of guilt, shame or remorse of what he’s done to it or the others at the factory. He doesn't answer the question.
- Mad Scientist: Very clearcut from his introductory tape, where he proposes his idea of the Bigger Bodies Initiative, mentioning how it could both increase the workforce and decrease lawsuit numbers and people on payroll as long as it didn't have people working. Also, in a different tape, when he first sees Boxy Boo fully alive, he proclaims that it proves his BBI project to be a success and how it opens up numerous pathways of research.
- The Man Behind the Man: Seems to be this towards Elliot Ludwig, being the real founder and runner of the Bigger Body Initiative.
- Meaningful Name: His name sounds awfully similar to 'Harlequin Sawer', befitting his role as a mad doctor performing experiments on living toys.
- Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: Sawyer is referred as "Dr. Sawyer", and he seems to be in charge of Playtime Co's Research and leading the Bigger Bodies Initiative, although he is far from doing anything morally great.
- More Despicable Minion: Elliot isn't that great of a man himself, but Harley, as his former business partner, somehow manages to be worse than him with his proposition to conduct an unethical experiment to create the living toys that currently antagonize the player out of orphans for financial exploitation, causing the events of the series.
- Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: He claims he does what he does because he wants to save the company from going under, but his cruelty to his own employees make it extremely apparent that he doesn't want anybody except him to get the money from its products.
- Red Baron: "The Doctor".
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: Alongside his monstrous actions, Harley's professional and calm demeanor comes off as completely sinister.
- The Sociopath: Fits it to the complete bill. Beyond his alluring and calm voice, The Doctor is completely devoid of any remorse or morals, mass experimenting on orphaned kids for his own greedy purposes while treating his employees like dirt, even killing them when they prove too much as a liability.
- Uncertain Doom: Chapter 3 features a tape of Harley Sawyer running a usual test on the Prototype and after a confrontation with the machine, presumably is maimed or even killed as another tape shows Leith Pierre taking over the overseeing and mentions that Dr. Sawyer needs to be replaced. His voice lines in the Project Playtime Phase 2: Incineration trailer imply he willingly became an experiment.
- Would Hurt a Child: Has zero qualms mass experimenting on hundreds of orphans to become toys.
Marcas Brickley
"Look, it wasn't people! Alright? I haven't a bloody notion what it was, but it wasn't human!"
Portrayed by: Séan William McLoughlin
An Irish Playtime-employee who is being questioned by Leith Pierre on the blue tape found in chapter 2.
- Actor Allusion: Leith Pierre asks him to bring him coffee before dismissing him. It's a nod to his actor's own brand of coffee, "Top of the Mornin".
- The Cameo: Top of the mornin' to ya, laddies!
- Cassandra Truth: Subverted. He attempted to warn the Innovation Department over a strange "thing" he saw while trying to retrieve a mop that was blocking the door to the Innovation Department's area. Leith brushes him off as either crazy or lying and simply tells him to get out. Seeing the current state of Playtime Co., maybe they should have listened to him. Given Leith's involvement in Playtime Co. experiments, he may have believed him and might have even silenced him for seeing this.
- He Knows Too Much: Implied. Clues found in game by the player hints that most Playtime employees such as Marcas were in the dark about Playtime Co.'s dark experiments. Marcas' tape is titled "Potential Problem", and Leith asks Marcas if he told anyone else about what he saw, which may indicate that Leith may have had Marcas silenced permanently.
- Nice Guy: He's very polite towards Leith Pierre and doesn't respond to his condescending attitude (except for a single glare before he leaves).
- Oireland: Has a very exaggerated Irish accent, considering who voices him. According to Jack himself, they intentionally made him use an exaggerated accent for fun.
- Uncertain Doom: His tape is marked with the words "potential problem", implying that he might have become a case of He Knows Too Much. It doesn't help that Leith asks him if he told anyone else about the thing he saw and Marcas replies he hasn't. According to Jack, he was supposed to speak more lines in Chapter 3, but couldn't make it due to schedule conflict, implying on perhaps having gotten a bigger role otherwise.
Rich
Voiced by: Michael Kovach
A grumpy worker at Playtime Co.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: Apparently has a temper that he’s trying to have control over.
- Happily Married: Chapter 3 tape reveals he has a wife and are in a happy relationship.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: As much as he loves to complain about Playtime Co, he swallows his pride and does his job solely for the orphans' happiness. He also laments that if Playtime really wants to do something nice for the orphans, they can at least let them feel real sunlight.
- Only Sane Man: Downplayed. He seems to be the only Playtime worker to notice and call out how sloppily organized everything in the company is, but if the reaction of his colleague to his rant is any indication, the other workers noticed it too. They just didn't complain because they knew the Innovations department was watching at all times.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: His tape in Chapter 2 has him grumble about how he was transferred to the store room with the rejected toys as punishment for complaining too much about his working conditions. Chapter 3 has him presumably take the job of retiree Stuart.
Jimmy Roth
"If there is anything Playtime Co. should be known for, it's not toys, it's marketing."
Portrayed by: Eli Roth
Playtime Co.'s chief marketing officer. The green tape in chapter 2 is a recording of an interview with him.
- Inferiority Superiority Complex: His egotistical manner may in fact be a cover for his inferiority complex with his role as the Chief Marketing Officer. Despite his role being important, as without him, the successful toys would not have been marketed and sold out, his constant appraisal of himself and his marketing skills seems odd as he shouldn't be this happy of himself if he really did a good job. His last comment, "If there is anything Playtime Co. should be known for, it's not toys, it's marketing.", further implies he is not given enough credit or respect for his work.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Is completely convinced that he's the secret behind Playtime Co.'s success when in his interview he displays average competence for the job at best.
- Smug Snake: His interview has him brag about how good he is at his job and trying to prove this by guessing that the interviewer's favorite color is blue, because (according to him) blue is most people's favorite color. When the interviewer bluntly tells him that his favorite color is green, Jimmy dismisses him as "an outlier".
- Possibly subverted as Roth's attempt at "guessing" the interviewer's favorite color may actually be an attempt at distraction to throw off any questions he is not allowed to answer.
- The Social Expert: Depicts himself as one, citing his ingenious idea of following Elliot Ludwig's naming conventions of putting an "-y/ie" sound at the end of a toy's name and how he can tell most people's favorite color is blue as proof that he knows what the customers want. Subverted as it's obvious he's not very good at reading or predicting people and is most likely just giving himself airs.
Scientist
Voiced by: Michael Kovach
A nameless scientist working for Playtime Co., aiding them in their experiments. He has two known logs that can be found in the form of the gray VHS Tapes that can be found along the catwalks leading to Poppy Playtime's room at the end of Chapter 1 and the rising catwalk that leads to the path to the control room in Chapter 2.
- Apocalyptic Log: He makes his final log about Experiment 1006 going rogue while said thing goes rampaging through the facility amidst the screams of his colleagues.
- Asshole Victim: Performing and taking part in unethical practices definitely makes him one.
- Faux Affably Evil: During his conversation with Joseph in chapter 3 tape where he politely assures him Kevin is going to be fine.
- For Science!: Declares this in his Apocalyptic Log, stating whatever the company does is for the perseverance and making of a successful experiment.Scientist: I'm not worried about myself. One breakthrough and I'll be back. We must forge onwards in the name of science, whether those who are beneath us understand it or not!
- Killed Mid-Sentence: We don't see his face, but just as he's about to end his Apocalyptic Log, he gets cut off, possibly thanks to 1006 or another experiment getting him.
- Lack of Empathy: Seen in both tapes where he calls those unwilling to keep moving forward with the Bigger Bodies Initiative as "beneath" and when he reports a dead Surveillance Specialist as a mere "casualty" in the second tape.
- Mad Scientist: Can be taken literally too; he is a scientist and implied to be furious at the idea of Experiment 1006 going rogue. As for its actual meaning we can tell he seems to be interested and somewhat proud of Experiment 1006 and Huggy Wuggy, noting the former's intelligence and latter's obedience. He even reports a dead Surveillance Specialist as a mere "casualty" and goes on to praise 1006's abilities.
- Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: He's a scientist who calls others unwilling to go with the Bigger Bodies Initiative's insane ideology as "beneath" and has total faith in it. He also pins the blame of the toy breach on other employees and refers to someone's death as a "casualty" and nothing more.
Rowan Stoll
"Um, look.. I know you don't want to hear anymore about this, I get it."
The head of Playtime Co's tech. He shows up in Rowan Stoll Concerns.
- Bad Liar: After being reprimanded, he makes a video talking about how he totally didn't see anything and Playtime Co. is not involved in suspicious activities. It's clear that neither the audience nor Playtime Co. buys it.Rowan: I'm not looking into it anymore- not that there was anything to look into!
- Cassandra Truth: Subverted. According to his dialogue in his first tape, Leith Pierre is tired of hearing him bringing up the possibility of someone putting hidden cameras in Huggy Wuggy's eyes, and implies that Leith just wants him to shut up about it or at least doesn't believe him. His follow-up tape however has Rowan trying to backpedal and claim that he's not looking into anything anymore, but his nervous mannerisms indicate that that he's been threatened to keep quiet about what he discovered.
- Eaten Alive: He gets devoured by Boxy Boo while trying to expose Playtime Co.'s crimes by setting the experiments free.
- He Knows Too Much: From what's implied he probably would have been silenced even if he wasn't eaten by Boxy Boo.
- If I Do Not Return: He sends a note to his mother, stating that he's likely going to be killed, telling her to give evidence to the police to stop Playtime Co. Considering that the company stayed operational for the next few years, it's implied that either his message never reached her or that she was also silenced too.
- White Sheep: Among the leading members of Playtime Co, Rowan Stoll was one of the only ones that was genuinely concerned about what Playtime Co was actually doing behind the scenes and investigated the company as well as planned to report what he found to the police. When Leith Pierre and Harley Sawyer began to see him as a threat to their operations, they attempted to get rid of him multiple times by sabotaging his car to cause an accident and later sent Boxy Boo to kill him.
Head of Security
The Head of Security for Playtime Co., responsible for ensuring the secrecy of the experiments and whatever else is maintained, especially with brutal force.
- Ambiguous Gender: Their first appearance is their own report on something else (making gender identity unnecessary) which makes sense.
- Schlubby, Scummy Security Guard: Since they're the Head of Security for Playtime Co. out of all places, this is a given.
- No Name Given: Only referred as the Head of Security.
- Number Two: Possibly this to Leith Pierre, as they report to him about an updated case about a dead Playtime Co. employee and asks what he would do.
Stella Greyber
Voiced by: Nola Klop
The woman being interviewed in the Pink Tape. She is revealed to be the announcer for the Game Station in Chapter 2 and the Head of Playplace in Chapter 3 and it's ARG.
- Cloudcuckoolander: During the interview, she breaks into strange musings about the inevitability of aging, and how much she wishes the human body could be kept young forever.
- Genki Girl: Her voice recordings at the train station are upbeat and cheerful, as well as her recording in Chapter 3.
- Honest Corporate Executive: Subverted. Although she is the hard-working and friendly Head of Playcare, she is still responsible for the deaths of various orphans. Her statement in the Cross-Department Report and the various Game Station documents prove she was aware of the experiments, although her tone of voice in the Chapter 3 tape implies she is regretful and reluctant to take part in them.
- Immortality Seeker: In her tapes she bemuses the fact that people age and would like this to stop. It's likely this is why she was hired and given a high-ranking position since her values would align with the experimenters despite her rambling in her interview.
- Meaningful Name: "Greyber" means "digger of graves" in German. Stella was one of the company's most trusted employees as the Head of Playcare, which means she took part in the death of many employees and orphans.
- The Voice: In Chapter 2, she's the automated announcer for the Game Station.
- White Collar Worker: A job applicant for the Playtime Co. Factory. The Pink Tape is a recording of her job interview.
- In Chapter 3, it is revealed that she eventually became the Head of Playcare, which is a relatively prestigious position.
- Womanchild: Downplayed. In her interview tape, she talks about how much she misses her childhood, and the happiness it brought her to play with children's toys. As she puts it, she could go from her floor to anywhere in the world with those toys. Her main reason for applying at Playtime Co. is that working at a toy factory is the closest she'll get to recreating that feeling.
Playcare
In General
An on-site orphanage in the Playtime Co. factory. It is the main setting for Chapter 3.
- Elaborate Underground Base: It's a large area within an underground cave system with an artificial sky.
- Orphanage of Fear: Regardless of what it started off as, it eventually became this with the children being tested and experimented on. Even without that, it's a place below the surface with artificial sunlight.
- Orphanage of Love: At one point in time, Playtime Co was once a regular toy company providing happiness to children and families all around the globe by creating toys. They also had an on-site orphanage that genuinely sent children to adoptive homes. Too bad it all fell apart with the company creating unethical experiments that resulted in the downfall of the company.
- Uncertain Doom: It's known that CatNap kept a lot of children safe from the Hour of Joy, but it's unknown what happened to them in the modern day, whether they escaped the factory, were killed off by the toys, or have somehow been surviving inside the factory for a decade.
Staff
Joel Sinclair
The Head Counselor of Playcare.
- Ambiguously Evil: It's unknown if he knew about the child experimentations. His conversation with Thomas makes it seem like he cares for Theodore, and didn't know about the Prototype. However Theodore was told to find a specific document in Joel's office by the prototype, but it's unknown what the document was about.
- Friend to All Children: This should be requirement for a counselor of an orphanage. In the "Transmission Submission" and " Internal Memo" documents, Joel seems to genuinely care about Theodore, saying he is committed to helping the troubled boy, and later being sympathetic to his injuries. He also states he will have to put up a happy face after Theo's injury to not worry the rest of the kids.
Dr. Thomas Clarke (SPOILERS)
Thomas Clarke / Experiment 1199
A former pediatrician of Playtime Co. who was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and volunteered to be placed in a Bron the Dinosaur toy to extend his life.
- All of the Other Reindeer: When Playtime Co. placed Bron in the room where they kept the other toys in "RESTRICTED_restoration.mp4", they just... watched him from both sides of their pen. One of them (heavily implied to be Boxy Boo) or perhaps all of them finally chose to attack Bron and would've killed him had the researchers not broken in to stop them. The other toys realized there was something "different" about him; whether this is because they somehow knew about his identity as a Playtime Co. worker or something else is unknown but it's clear they didn’t like being in his presence if they were willing to separate from and kill him.
- Ambiguously Evil: It's unknown what role he had in the experimentation of the orphans but given he's a pediatrician he would’ve been hands on. The Prototype trusted him enough to save Theodore's life and he didn’t appear to be aware of their existence before then.
- Ambiguous Situation: It's never stated whether or not he was supposed to become the living mascot as Bron the Dinosaur or if that's just the toy/shell picked for him. It's not even known if it was his choice to be Bron specifically or if that's what the people in charge decided.
- In the end he’s kept isolated for his own safety. But his cell looks concerningly similar to the Prototype's.
- And I Must Scream: The process of being turned into Bron is indicated to be extremely unpleasant to the point being disoriented was expected. Thomas unfortunately handled it even worse as the doctor in charge speculated he might not know where he is or what happened to him in a shelled body with less than half his original mass and articulation. When the other toys detect the new Bron is different they attack and leave him in critical condition to the point that he has to go into isolation.
- Body Horror: In "RESTRICTED_restoration.mp4" he's been severely damaged by the other toys and has holes in the plastic shell of his suit revealing exposed electrical wires and suit parts of the costume. A quarter of his front nose has also been ripped off by Boxy Boo. Then there's the matter of the human eyes within the eye sockets of the suit and being covered in blood...
- Day in the Limelight: Posts on Mob Games social media accounts for the "RESTRICTED_restoration.mp4." focuses on him. As you can imagine, it doesn't go well. But not because the process itself was a failure...
- Devoured by the Horde: What almost happened to him. The other experiments could tell he was different and immediately attacked him, forcing the researchers to keep him in isolation while trying to repair him after he was partially eaten.
- Gone Horribly Right: The secret goal of the factory is to make people into toys to extend their lives. Thomas's situation is a deconstruction revealing how bad of an idea it actually is in practice. He's less than half his original size, disoriented and taking visible effort to move what little articulation he does have in a straightforward shell adaptation of the Bron toy. It also means he can't defend himself in dire situations.
- Was Once a Man: According to "Restricted_restoration.mp4", his real identity was a pediatrician named Thomas Clarke who volunteered to be an experiment for Playtime Co. This is because he was diagnosed with a rare type of terminal lung cancer. Unfortunately Thomas may have ended up in a situation worse than he intended.
- You Are Number 6: He's referred to as "Experiment 1199". It's notably averted when he's attacked and lying on an operating table in critical condition.
Claire Harper
A counselor of orphans kept in the Playcare, and the caretaker of Marie Payne, the future Mommy Long Legs.
- Mama Bear: In her incident report, Claire is clearly distraught by Marie being plagued by disturbing nightmares and panic attacks, and is determined to protect her from them. She ends the report by demanding her superiors to investigate the cause or she would take matters into her own hands.
- Parental Substitute: Although nothing much is known or seen about her relationship with Marie, Claire very clearly loves her as her own daughter. In her incident report, Claire refers to Marie as "my little girl", and is determined to find the cause of her nightly nightmares and panic attacks.
- Sanity Slippage: Chapter 3 shows that the bigger body initiative has taken a toll on her as she fears for the lives of the children, barring as she is unaware of what is happening. It is implied she was turned into Miss Delight.
Orphans
Marie Payne
A child test subject that got associated with Mommy Long Legs. For tropes about her current identity, see Mommy Long Legs.
- Unknown Character: So far Marie has only been mentioned in records and hidden teasers. It is known that she was heavily associated with Mommy Long Legs and like Theodore Grambell was one of the orphans located within the Playcare facility of Playtime Co. Later information revealed that she suffered from nightmares caused by CatNap whilst she was located within the Playcare.
Makayla Hyssop
A child test subject that got associated with Candy Cat.
- Unknown Character: She's only mentioned in records, however, since she got associated with Candy Cat, maybe she's a Big Eater? Actually, now that we think about it, we don't know if she was ever made into a toy or if she's still alive. All we know is that she's a little girl and was distracted during her testing.
Theodore Grambell
A child test subject that was present within the Playcare. For tropes about his current identity, see CatNap.
- High-Voltage Death: Almost happens to him, he would have died from an electric shock from the GrabPack if the Prototype didn't bring him to Dr. Clarke.
- Not-So-Imaginary Friend: His test report noted that he was often dreaming of an imaginary friend who wanted him to try and sabotage the experiments Playtime Co was running. It is very strongly hinted that the Prototype was manipulating Theodore as his imaginary friend.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: He tried to help the Prototype escape captivity. However, the GrabPack got him electrocuted and nearly killed, and let's say things go downhill from there.
Minor/Other Employees
Patty Hall
She used to be a toy designer, but got demoted for making the toys in the wrong colors.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: She got demoted to Storage.
- Uncertain Doom: Did she end up "missing" like the other workers at Playtime or did she actually escape? All we know is that she got demoted to Storage, which ain't good.
Sarah Abell
A scientist that was brought in to supervise the kids' Game Station progress. She didn't last long.
- Killed Mid-Sentence: She was killed as she was writing up a report of Makayla's progress.
Dr. Matthew Wayson
An unknown employee who didn't appreciate the lack of windows.
- Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: Downplayed. Despite him being involved in the Bigger Bodies Initiative and Game Station he surprisingly cares for the children and notes a good point that windowless rooms affect the mental health of people and requests at least fake windows for their health.
- Uncertain Doom: We don't know if he "disappeared" like other employees.
- Unknown Character: Who is this guy? We don't know but he has "Dr." in his name so maybe he was a scientist?
- He may be a psychologist as he exclusively discusses the mental health issues of the children and his point above is indicative of knowledge of psychology.
Matteo Lata
Another scientist hired by Playtime. He also didn't last very long.
- Killed Mid-Sentence: He was killed while writing up a report on Makayla.
Eddie M.N Ritterman
Another employee of Playtime Co. but we don't know what he did.
- Unknown Character: We don't know what he does but he's important enough to have his own tube slide. He did write up a document we find in-game.
Sharon
An assistant to Leith Pierre and a boom operator who appears quite incompetent at her job.
- Beleaguered Assistant: Being insulted due to minor mistakes and essentially Leith's slave is definitely not a great way to work in Playtime Co.
- Butt-Monkey: Leith Pierre seems to dislike her heavily, being especially scathing to her work performance and threatening her with the possibility of being fired.
- Personal Mook: Considering she's ordered by Leith to find a new Resource Extraction Specialist in Project: Playtime she seems to be somewhat of a lackey to him.
Stuart
Voiced by: Alberto Garcia Satur
- Nice Guy: He is kind to Rich despite Rich's grumpyness and offers him his position after he retires.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Tells Rich that he always liked Rich's honesty despite others not appreciating it.
Debuted in Project: Playtime
The Survivors
Resource Extraction Specialists, a.k.a The Survivors
The Survivors as depicted in the cinematic trailer
The protagonists of Project Playtime. Their job is to get the toy parts into the depths of the factory and try to get them out in one piece.
- Action Survivor: A given considering they must get toy parts in a factory infested with monsters out for their blood.
- Ambiguously Human: Like The Player, considering their character model lacks facial features and has pincer hands similar to LEGO toys. A VHS tape implies employees weren't necessarily safe from being turned into toys for the company's nefarious motives.
- Awesome Backpack: Like The Player they are equipped with the Grab Pack.
- Expy:
- Possibly to the Crewmates from Among Us, seeing their role and how similar they are to said crewmates.
- As mentioned above their player models have hands reminiscent of Lego characters.
- The Faceless: Not unlike The Player from the main game. Many skins allow them to wear masks or helmets to conceal it.
- The Grappler: Their Grab Packs allow them to grab handles and swings over gaps which comes in handy when they’re chased by monsters. It's also how they solve the puzzle pillars to get toy parts.
- Hazmat Suit: The cinematic trailer depicts them with these although they’re optional skins in the game proper.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Players can lure the monsters away from the train to allow fellow teammates to escape at the risk/cost of their own lives.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: One way to play. It does help players solve multiple puzzle pillars at once and makes it harder for monsters to catch all of them.
- Made of Iron: In a way considering they can survive monster attacks up to three times (Huggy and Boxy having large sharp teeth) as well as falling a great height when they get dropped down the sewers. Downplayed however, as they have three lives until they die for good.
- No One Gets Left Behind: If players who already boarded the train decide to go back for downed Survivors who were thrown in the sewers.
- Run or Die: Their Grab Packs allows them to shut doors and swing across gaps but other than that they have no means of defending themselves against the bigger, stronger killer toys.
- Take My Hand!: Survivors can't escape from the holes alone, however their fellow teammates can pull them out using their Grab Packs.
