A
Furby is an American
electronic robotic toy released in 1998 by
Tiger Electronics. It resembles a
hamster or
owl-like creature and went through a period of being a "must-have" toy following its
holiday season launch, with continual sales until 2000. Over 40 million Furbies were sold during the three years of its original production, with 1.8 million sold in 1998, and 14 million in 1999. Its speaking capabilities were translated into 24 languages.