Spoilers ahead for South Park Season 27, Episode 4.

There once was a time when South Park was thriving in the video game scene, as both of the Ubisoft era titles — The Stick of Truth and The Fractured But Whole — were loved by fans and critics alike. Sadly, a developer change and genre shift for Snow Day! Didn’t work out for the IP, as it was a step down from a comedic standpoint and was held back by its repetitive gameplay. With The New Kid’s foray into third person multiplayer gaming not hitting the same as the turn-based RPGs that preceded it, it will be interesting to see what format the next game takes whenever it releases. Regardless of its choice of genre, though, the next South Park game could have a field day with Season 27’s take on Labubus.

For those who are (somehow) unfamiliar with Labubus, they are essentially the big fad at the moment, outshining usual plush favorites like Squishmallows. Exclusively created and sold by Pop Mart, consumers hunt after Labubus across the internet and pop-up stores, though there is always a risk of getting a Lafufu - a fake Labubu - from third party retailers. Unboxings of the sharp-toothed, bunny-eared monsters have spread all over the internet, as not only are the toys rare, but they come in mystery boxes. This makes it incredibly hard for people to get the exact stuffie they’re searching for, making them even more desirable. The Labubu chase has become so viral that it’s no surprise it was parodied by South Park, and a future game could turn that joke into content.

south-park-labubu-held — South park labubu in hand

As someone who has always adored South Park and its scathing criticism of just about everything, and someone who has been a victim of the Labubu struggle — I’ve been trying to get one for my fiancée for half a year now, but only have a Lafufu to my name — this combo would be a match made in heaven for me. I was already in hysterics watching the show’s most recent episode, as Trey Parker and Stone clearly have a good grasp on this viral trend, but gaming has been and will always be my favorite hobby. As such, if a developer were to make a new South Park game that keeps this episode’s plot in mind, fans like myself could be in for a real treat.

South Park Season 27’s Labubu-focused episode is called ‘Wok is Dead,’ a nod to City Wok owner Tuong Lu Kim abandoning his company to run a more profitable pop-up store that sells Labubus.

South Park’s Labubus Could Be a Top-Notch Video Game Collectible

south-park-butters-labubu — south park butters with a labubu

While video game collectibles are hit-and-miss, with some being a joy to gather while others are tedious to chase, the South Park RPGs certainly fall into the former category. The Stick of Truth had the humorous Chinpokemon scattered throughout the game, while Fractured But Whole swapped out the Pokemon parody monsters of its predecessor for a range of fun items. One of the standouts was Memberberries, with each one reciting classic dialogue once found. Clearly, South Park game collectibles honoring the show’s past has been a trend for the adaptations, and adding unlockable Labubus into whatever game comes next would be a perfect way to continue it. A Labubu collectible system could feature:

Mystery boxes like real Labubus, containing South Park-themed Labubu designs based on the cast. These could be purchased with in-game currency or gotten as quest rewards.
Different rarity levels could be assigned to the show’s cast and their alternate looks. For instance, a basic Randy Marsh could be common, but Tegridy Farms Randy could be rare. For the kids, their fantasy and superhero outfits could be higher rarity pulls.
Since Labubu mystery boxes relying too heavily on RNG could prove tedious for achievement and Trophy hunters, perhaps players could be allowed to purchase the ones they want directly from Mr. Kim (albeit for an expensive tariff price).
Perhaps Labubus could be given as gifts to increase bonds in a potential relationship system, serving as a nod to Butters’ quest to get a rare Labubu for his girlfriend.

South Park’s Labubus Could Have a Special Purpose in a Video Game

south-park-angry-labubu — south park angry kid holding labubu

While getting a Labubu that looks like PC Principal would put a smile on my face, I’d be a bit disappointed if they were nothing more than an unusable item on the New Kid’s shelf. Instead, they should be a proper game mechanic, with whoever develops the next South Park title being able to pull directly from the show to make the Labubus into a proper fixture of the game. Whenever players get an ultra-rare labubu, just like in the show, they could perform a demonic summoning ritual to spawn an extremely difficult endgame boss. Perhaps the ritual could be a mini-game like the Toilets in Fractured But Whole, but regardless, it's the summoned entity itself that'd be the payoff. It wouldn't have to be Trump or Satan like in the show, either, as every super rare Labubu could spawn a unique foe to fight. Giving these hypothetical South Park collectibles a proper gameplay purpose would make them fun to chase for even those who typically dislike collectibles, while people like me would finally be able to get their hands on one of the cuddly critters — even if it is only digital.

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Release Date: August 13, 1997
Network: Comedy Central
Showrunner: Trey Parker
Directors: Adrien Beard
Writers: David A. Goodman, Nancy M. Pimental, Kenny Hotz, Philip Stark, Dave Weasel, Dan Sterling, Susan Hurwitz Arneson, Trisha Nixon, David R. Goodman, Tim Talbott, Pam Brady, Robert Lopez, Dani Michaeli, Kyle McCulloch, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Kimmel, Jane Bussmann