Parents complain that the most-hyped toy of 2016 curses, doesn't really work
It was all fun and games until they refused to hatch and started swearing at children.
Hatchimals were the must-have toy this holiday season, with parents willing to pay top dollar for the sold out bird-like creature that lives in a plastic egg until it hatches and becomes interactive. They make strange sounds and are able to repeat words, with nothing preventing them from picking up R-rated language — which some parents say they came equipped to say. On YouTube, there are several videos featuring Hatchimals that appear to be saying "f--k me," but there is a debate raging about whether they are really uttering expletives, or if it's just a lecherous sounding "Hug me."
Spin Master, the parent company of Hatchimals, says everyone is wrong. "Hatchimals communicate by speaking with their own unique language, which is made up of random sounds, and by making other noises, including shivering when they're cold and snoring while they sleep," a spokesperson told CNNMoney. "We can assure consumers that Hatchimals do not curse, nor do they use foul language."
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There are some parents who wish their kids had a lewd Hatchimal, because that would at least mean it came out of its egg. On Spin Master's Facebook page, there are numerous complaints from people saying their children's Hatchimal never hatched, thus ruining Christmas and their young lives. Spin Master has posted videos to help with troubleshooting and increased the number of customer service representatives fielding calls for help, saying it is "100 percent committed to bringing the magic of Hatchimals to all of our consumers." Watch the video below that may or may not contain NSFW language, and judge for yourself. Catherine Garcia
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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