Furby is back!
The lovable robot that debuted to great fanfare 25 years ago because of its ability to develop language skills is getting a reboot, toy giant Hasbro announced Monday.
The cuddly doll will be available for sale on Amazon beginning July 15.
“A new generation of kids can discover their own curious little creature and kindred spirit, that’s sure to be their next BFF,” the company said in a press release.
The latest iteration will feature five voice-activated modes and over 600 responses, including lights, sounds, and 10 unique songs, the company said.
More importantly, the new Furbys will have an off button.
“Even better, Furby can power down when the fun is done for the day,” Hasbro said.
Hasbro hopes to re-create the consumer craze that had shoppers flock to stores and fight each other in line in hopes of grabbing the toy in time for the holidays.
In its first three years of existence, 40 million Furbys were sold worldwide.
The five-inch doll had a computer chip that enabled it to speak in its own “furbish” language.
The mania that fueled the demand for Furby, which sold out quickly in stores and was then offered up at a significant markup through online auction site eBay, was reminiscent of the wildly successful debuts of must-haves such as the Cabbage Patch doll and Tickle Me Elmo.
“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, the vice president and general manager of Hasbro’s fashion and preschool division.
“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.”
The maker of the original Furby, Tiger Electronics, was bought by parent company Hasbro in 1998.
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