The Huddle

Notice: This page contains spoilers for the game INSIDE. Proceed with caution.

The Huddle, also called the blob or the meatball, is a mass of combined human flesh and organs. Near the ending of the game, the protagonist (due to certain circumstances) becomes part of the Huddle, which then gives the player control of it.

The Blob being confined in a tank of water.

Appearance

The Huddle is a large, grotesque mass of flesh, body parts, and organs that come from albinos. It has heads, arms, and legs sticking out of it in different places. It is usually semi-spherical when still, but squishes and squashes when in movement. Taking a human scientist's height as a reference point, the Huddle is around 4 meters tall. However, it seems that this being is still in an embryonic state.

Behavior

Its behavior is mostly controlled by the player.

Whilst appearing to have several heads, the Huddle acts as if controlled by one mind and is able to perform simple tasks such as lifting objects or slamming itself into walls.

The Huddle appears to have the ability to breathe underwater and mind-control other albinos and creatures just as the protagonist does after his final encounter with the Long-Haired Creature. It is unclear whether the Huddle has an innate mind-control ability, or only just gained it from the protagonist, but many have guessed that the Huddle actually has some control over the protagonist.

The Blob standing in a spot of light.

It is not very clear, but the Huddle seems to have emotions as it is able to feel pain; it groans and reacts when it slams into walls or loses limbs.

The majority of the humans in the facility run away from the Huddle, either because of its grotesque nature or the fear of being killed. At the same time, it is also noticeable that a great amount of humans stay in the background and watch. In very few instances, some will aid the Huddle's progress.

Main Story

The protagonist first discovers the Huddle trapped inside a large tank, being observed by several scientists. It can be guessed that this Huddle is not the first to have been created. When the protagonist is carried underwater by the long-haired creature, the area around him is littered with rooms and workshops where you can see other types of Huddles but in a smaller and fused version with fewer bodies, probably all failed experiments. This confirms that scientists at the research center have long been trying to create the Huddle seen at the end of the game.

Upon entering the tank naked, he tries to free the creature, but is added to its mass in the process. Once free, the Huddle breaks out of the tank and goes on a rampage through the facility and ends up either killing or sparing the CEO. Eventually, the scientists trap the Huddle in another water tank, but the creature simply escapes again and breaks through to the outside world. Unable to move, it lies helpless on a beach as the sun breaks through the clouds.

Powers and Abilities

Immense Strength: As a mass of human bodies, the Huddle can perform impressive feats of physical strength, such as smashing through concrete walls, ripping apart doors and metal paneling, and pulling heavy machinery.

Enhanced Durability: The Huddle can survive falls that would normally kill an individual person, albeit with discomfort, as well as lift a burning box with no visible injuries.

Elasticity: In spite of its size, the Huddle can squeeze into small spaces it could not fit in normally.

Underwater Breathing: Likely a result of being experimented on, the Huddle can survive underwater for prolonged periods of time.

Mind Control: Either from the protagonist who gained this ability from the Long-Haired Creatures or due to experimentation, The Huddle also has an innate ability to control groups of several albinos at once, and likewise they will boost it up, but cannot throw it.

Absorbing: The huddle posses the ability to absorb and assimilate other life forms into its bio-mass as it did to the protagonist.

Trivia

The Huddle photograph in the room.

• The Huddle's name was revealed by Playdead during GDC 2017.
  • It is also referred to as "huddle" within the game files.
  • The word "huddle" means a "close-packed group". The Huddle is a large mass of human bodies.
• Inside the room with the second orb, the photo on the far right contains an image of the Huddle's silhouette. This photograph is actually concept art for the game.
• In the underwater section, using the submersible to knock into a row of lockers will cause a small figurine of the Huddle to fall out.
• It could be implied that the Huddle is controlling the Boy through the entire game, leading him to the end to set itself free.