Germany sees retro toy revival as Diddl, Furby and Tamagotchi surge in popularity
1990s toys are experiencing a resurgence in Germany. A new version of the digital pet Tamagotchi was released at the start of the year, while the electronic rabbit Furby has been revived with artificial‑intelligence features. The cartoon mouse Diddl returned to market at the end of July with new stationery, school items, bottles, lunch boxes and plush merchandise.
Media psychologist Tim Wulf of the Catholic News Agency explains the boom as nostalgia driven by life‑stage changes and a collective “crisis mode” caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a prolonged economic slowdown. He says the nostalgia provides a sense of security and self‑orientation, especially for former 1990s children now in their 40s and 50s, many of whom have children of their own.
Entities: Catholic News Agency (KNA) · Diddl · Furby · Tamagotchi · Tim Wulf
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Furby is experiencing a revival thanks to artificial intelligence. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Media psychologist Tim Wulf says nostalgia driven by life‑stage changes and a collective crisis mode fuels the retro toy trend. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Diddl returned to market at the end of July with new stationery, school items, bottles, lunch boxes and plush merchandise. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The collective crisis mode is linked to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a prolonged economic slowdown. (All three articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] A new Tamagotchi version was launched at the beginning of the year. (All three articles)