Poppy Playtime Chapter 4: Could Rich Lovitz Be “Doey The Doughman”? A Deep Dive Theory
***DISCLAIMER: I AM ONLY COVERING RICH LOVITZ AUDIO TAPES AND COMPARING IT TO POPPY PLAYTIME CHAPTER 4: SAFE HAVEN TRAILER.***
Poppy Playtime is a spine-chilling survival horror game that explores the twisted secrets of Playtime Co., a toy factory with a dark history. Players unravel its mysteries through puzzles, encounters with menacing mascots, and cryptic clues. Chapter 4, arriving January 30th, promises to expand the lore, reveal more about the factory’s past, and introduce fresh horrors for fans to uncover.
Today we are discussing Rich Lovitz, a former Playtime Co. employee, is heard only through audio tapes scattered throughout the game. Known for his sharp tongue and quick temper, Rich often clashed with coworkers and management, which left him with few allies. His frustration stemmed from the company’s disorganized practices, which made his job unnecessarily difficult. During one shift, he complained about missing Huggy Wuggy shipments, which led to him being reported by a coworker and subsequently demoted to the Rejected Room — a move that only deepened his resentment.
Despite his gruff demeanor, Rich had a softer side, particularly toward the orphans for whom the toys were made. His complaints often stemmed from the pressure of meeting demands rather than a lack of care. He is portrayed as vocal and critical, while his colleague Avery tries to temper his outbursts. Even after his demotion, Rich maintained small but meaningful connections, such as his Friday lunches with Avery, hinting at his capacity for loyalty and friendship.
Let’s go through the audio tapes of Rich Lovitz:
1. Missing Huggy Wuggies
Rich is frustrated that he and his supervisor Avery can’t locate the Huggy Wuggy boxes, especially with Manufacturing placing high demand on finding them. However, Rich brings up a few points that raise some intriguing questions.
When Avery asked did he know where the boxes went Rich replied “I don’t know, I couldn’t tell you! Remember when Maintenance last did a sweep of this place?”
Meaning that something stop Maintenance from doing their job. Why did Maintenance stop working?
When Avery says no, he continues “Exactly! Nobody in this stupid company knows what they’re doing. I swear, I haven’t seen a single box in its place since they started flooding the storehouse with orphanage junk.”
This likely took place around the time Elliot Ludwig introduced PlayCare for the orphans, as seen in Chapter 3. If no toys have been seen, where are they being sent? And why are they now being replaced with orphanage junk?
Rich continued “I get it, it’s a nice program and all, on-brand, but (sigh) It’s just hard to be happy when Manufacturing is on OUR NECKS about it, ‘cause we can’t find stupid Huggy boxes! (sigh) You’re right… You’re right… It’s.. It’s for the orphans… I just wish there were less boxes. Anything less would be more abidable. — I-is that even a word? Abidable.”
There seems to be a miscommunication of the job Rich has and other employees at Playtime Co.. Manufacturing wants the toys to be found but also new orphanage logistics coming in? Why sudden changes?
2. The Demotion
Playtime Co. has taken notice of Rich’s complaints, as he expressed in the audio recording. “Well, it finally happened. After years of being ignored, the company actually heard all my complaints! Yup, they listened, very carefully. I guess my words really inspired them to take action, because the next day I got demoted down here. To the freaking island of misfit toys! (breaks an object) Why do I talk to myself..?
Years of complaints could have resulted in worse consequences for Rich, but instead, the company demoted him to the Rejected Room, what he calls “Island of Misfit Toys.” Was Rich valuable to Playtime Co.? And why was he assigned to work there alone?
3. Ranking up?
Rich and Stuart have a brief conversation in an elevator about Rich’s personality and how his honesty could potentially lead to a bigger promotion, possibly even taking Stuart’s place after his retirement. While Stuart’s exact role at Playtime Co. is unclear, he appears to hold a higher position within the company. What’s particularly interesting about this audio is when Rich says, “Nothing, nothing. Let’s just get this shipment dropped and go.”
What kind of shipment are they dropping off? It’s difficult to determine whether this event occurred before or after Rich’s demotion. For now, let’s assume it happened afterward.
Elliot Ludwig’s voice comes over the speakers, but Rich quickly shuts it off. Stu notices this and asks if Rich is a fan of Playtime Co. Rich responds, “Nope. Never liked the feel of it. I mean, don’tcha think those kids deserve some real sunlight instead of floodlights and painted skies? Hell, we’re not even allowed to talk to these kids, isn’t that — Ahem — Sorry, Stu.”
This is strange. The orphans are living in PlayCare, which Elliot Ludwig built with its own ecosystem (it is mentioned in an audio in Chapter 3). Why aren’t the employees allowed to speak to the children? And why aren’t the children allowed to see any daylight?
Stuart takes a liking to Rich for his rough and edgy personality and considers giving him his high-ranking job after retirement. It’s interesting that Rich mentions his wife and how he needs to better manage his anger. This suggests that his wife plays a significant role in keeping him grounded within the company, and he’s relieved that not everyone is out to get him.
“Well… I’m trying to stop being so pissed off all the time. My wife says I’m a lovely man, but I gotta control my temper. So I’m doing it for her.
“Yeah? You’re one of the few.”
”Wh- (stammers) Really?”
”Wow, I uh… I don’t know what to say! I’m just… glad to see not everyone in this place has it out for me.”
What was Stuart job? And the way how Rich talks about Playtime Co. why would Stuart think he’s best for his position after retirement?
The Rejected Room
What’s particularly intriguing about this room are the hidden documents scattered throughout. The Player is introduced to various toys that were rejected and sent away to be forgotten, but someone appears to be writing on the documents themselves. Could this be Rich?
Sir Poops-A lot
This toy was rejected for obvious reasons and management wasn’t too pleased by it either. The hat is a key detail in this photo because we also see Doey wear this kind of hat as well. Hinting Rich could’ve gotten an idea.
Rich is the only person known to have been demoted to the Rejected Room, which could serve as evidence that he is the one writing on the scattered documents. Given his combative behavior, the tone and choice of words in the writing closely align with his personality, further supporting this theory.
Kick-me-Paul to Push-me-Paul
Kick-Me-Paul was initially rejected after the presenter was laughed at while pitching the toy as a retail concept. Later, the toy was resubmitted under the new name Push-Me-Paul, but it was quickly rejected once again.
Here you can see what could be Rich writing this giving Push-me-Paul a better name to the toy.
Pet Stone
This confusing and pointless toy was automatically rejected by management.
I believe Rich also thought the same from management.
Orange Robot Toy
This toy was scrapped when the company decided to go with Mommy Long Legs instead but mysteriously, there is no photo given of the toy.
Rich seems to favor this toy above the others — but why? The orange robot, with its Mommy-stretch-like abilities, shares a unique feature: it can stretch. However, the extent and purpose of its abilities remain unclear. Similarly, Doey the Doughman is described in the Chapter 4 trailer as being stretchy and squishy, which raises an intriguing possibility. Could something have happened to Rich that led to him becoming this toy? The parallels between the robot’s abilities and Doey’s characteristics suggest a deeper connection.
Now Let’s Compare Doey The Doughman and Rich Lovitz
Doey and Rich share some similarities, as seen in Mob Entertainment’s new trailer. In the teaser for Poppy Playtime Chapter 4, there’s a glimpse of a drawing depicting two arms encircling what appears to be The Smiling Critters, accompanied by the words “Safe Haven” at the bottom. Other phrases appear alongside it, such as “I’m scared,” “We are safe,” and, on the left, “She left us!” with a crossed-out drawing seemingly referring to Poppy. From the beginning, there have been messages warning not to trust her.
Doey appears to be the hero for the toys trapped in Playcare, offering them a safe haven during their darkest times, particularly during the Hour of Joy and while being hunted by Dr. Harley Sawyer and The Prototype. Similarly, Rich Lovitz shared a comparable perspective. He cared deeply for the orphans and their well-being and disapproved of how they were treated in Playcare.
Additionally, the “safe haven” photo bears a striking resemblance to the top of Playcare’s ceilings in Chapter 3. You can observe the red smoke surrounding Playcare, adding an eerie atmosphere to the scene. In this image, Doey appears to be protecting everyone, perhaps suggesting a role as a guardian figure, despite the uncertainty surrounding his true nature. The connection between the photo and Playcare hints at deeper ties between Doey and the environment, as well as his potential connection to the orphans and their safety.
Who Is Doey The Doughman? Friend or Foe?
If this figure is indeed Rich, the transformation into the clay-like character, Doey the Doughman, raises many questions. The audios are unclear about whether Rich is dead or alive, leaving his fate uncertain. What we do know is that these events take place before the Hour of Joy, a critical point in the timeline. The mystery surrounding his transformation is compounded by Doey’s strange behavior. His mannerisms and gestures seem friendly, as though he could be an ally to the Player. Even his tone appears to be kind and considerate, but his true intentions remain unclear. Is Doey a foe disguised as a friend, or is he genuinely trying to help? This question is left to the interpretation of the Player.
Ultimately, Doey’s relationship with the Player hinges on their actions within Playtime Co. If the Player was once helpful to Doey, it could explain his apparent goodwill, but if the Player had been someone he despised at the company, that could have led to this strange transformation. Doey’s behavior seems to reflect the Player’s past actions, making his loyalty uncertain. Was he a victim of the company’s darker practices, or is he a product of its twisted environment? The answer likely depends on how the Player interacts with him, suggesting that the Player’s choices shape the outcome of their encounters with Doey the Doughman.
Conclusion
The connection between Rich and Doey remains uncertain. While the similarities between them suggest that Doey could be a transformed version of Rich, his true nature is still unclear. Doey’s protective actions and kind demeanor hint at the possibility that he may be an ally, but whether he is truly Rich or a product of Playtime Co.’s darker influences is a mystery. It’s up to the Player to decide whether to trust Doey, with the hope that he might be a force for good in the mystery of Poppy Playtime.
