"New sleep paralysis demon": Nerf's new mascot Murph leaves the internet divided 

Murph is the new mascot for Hashbro's successful toy range Nerf guns (@stealthygeek and @_RobYo/Twitter)

Nerf introduced a new mascot called Murph on Friday, June 17. The company is known for its toy guns that shoot soft foam-made bullets. They haven't had a mascot for the brand since it first entered the market in 1969.

The brand reportedly described the new mascot as “by far the most fun, playful and social member of the NERF team.” However, internet users didn't think likewise, as they felt the character looked scary and like a "sleep paralysis demon."

---

The internet reacts to the new Nerf mascot, which boasts a dart fur

Murph is an anthropomorphic character who uses them/they pronouns. It does not have any facial features and is covered with foam-dart fur. They were created in partnership with ad agency The Martin Agency and is planned to appear in commercials, retail outlets, and social media accounts later this month.

Murph uses the catchphrase,

"Unleash the Play in You."

Adam Kleinman, SVP and GM of Nerf at parent company Hasbro, said in a statement:

"We wanted to introduce a mascot that represents this ageless, unbridled fun that lives in all of us and creates a physical embodiment of that feeling you get when you play with the toy."

He added:

"The brand recognizes that while screens are great, there remains a need for kids, and their parents, to get out, get active and make memories."

Internet users were taken aback by the mascot's design. They made numerous jokes about them and called them "weird" and "scary." Some questioned Murph's design, saying that they looked like they had small p*nises growing on them.

User @StoneRAuthorMan tweeted:

"I expected Murph to be a bunch of darts connected to them like they got hit. Not protruding their heads from them like thousands of floppy little p*nises coming out. Best design ever."

Another user, @JeffBoulton, posted:

"Apparently, Hasbro’s new mascot is made up entirely of tiny clown d*cks."

While @rob_sheridan called it a "nightmare." He tweeted:

"NERF has introduced their new mascot, “Murph,” a big weird featureless terrifying gun-toting bigfoot thing made of foam darts who yearns to “unleash the play in you.” Murph is a f**kin nightmare and I love him, thank you Brand for this floppy affront to God."

Some users had questions about Murph's skin, and they tweeted:

Some made posts explaining vivid scenarios where Murph was a villain who would haunt people and their pets.

A story made by @rachaeldickze read:

"It ISS realllllll. And the stuff of absolute nightmares. But at least he can mop your kitchen with his feet while stalking you in your house at night, with a toy gun, of course."

Here are some other Tweets:

---

A nerf blaster is a toy gun that shoots foam darts, discs, or balls. The term is now commonly used for toys with foam bullets. It has also entered the gaming lingo, where "nerfing" means tweaking a character's statistics to make it weak.

The toy was introduced to the market sometime in the late 1980s, with the release of Blast-a-Ball and Arrowstorm. It currently works with several ultra-successful franchises, including Marvel Comics, Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Fortnite, Transformers, Overwatch, Halo Infinite, and Roblox.

The company usually has both blasters and guns with sets of bullets and ammunition refills that can be bought separately. The toy's popularity has helped create a community where players participate in competitive battles, similar to Airsoft and paintball.