As a Fridge subpage, all spoilers are unmarked as per policy. You Have Been Warned.
- The July 2023 update saw the introduction of several cartoon bugs (and one photorealistic one) dotted around the website. Each bug would lead to a hidden video when clicked on, seemingly filmed from Wally's perspective within the Welcome Home universe as he observes the other characters' interactions. The word "bug" doesn't just mean "insects" as in the ones we see: it can also refer to hidden microphones or cameras installed to make secret recordings.
- Bugs can also refer to computer errors or glitches that lead to unexpected results, like with these bugs leading to the hidden videos.
- As this tumblr post
notes, a closer examination of the neighborhood residents behaviors reveals how their personal flaws can interestingly act counterintuitively to their character roles described in the show:- Wally tends to be distant and largely unaware of his surroundings, despite him also being Constantly Curious and often taking in new information about the world around him.
- Barnaby often has fun at others' expense, even though what he really wants is to make others laugh and smile.
- Julie is self-assured and sticks wholeheartedly to her beliefs, even when there's evidence for the contrary, but still tries to make new games that are fair and fun for everyone to play.
- Frank at times uses knowledge to push his own viewpoint as absolute truth, but is also willing to help others come to their own conclusions.
- Eddie can be clumsy and forgetful, but nevertheless will faithfully attempt to deliever the mail on time and to the right location.
- Howdy prefers what's humorous or personally convienent over what's helpful or needed, runs his bodega with jokes as currency as a service to the other neighbors, making sure everyone has what they need.
- Sally acts self-centered and is a perfectionist, only wanting things done a certain way but puts on plays that allow not only her to shine, but others as well.
- Poppy is reclusive and an over-worrier, constantly questioning whether her surroundings are safe yet is a motherly figure who, despite her anxiety, tries to be involved in the neighborhood.
- The October 2023 Update featured a hidden video that takes place at Sally Starlet's Macabre Menagerie of Monstrous Mischief Making with all the neighbors talking up a storm with one another, and Wally standing apart from everyone, not engaging. The screen suddenly start to shift and distort as the audio becomes a cacophonous racket. While this is presented in-universe as a side effect from the reality of the world possibly unraveling, the brilliance kicks in with the reminder that Wally is canonically autistic. The things we're seeing on screen, from his point of view, match almost one on one with how people on the spectrum feel when they are overstimulated by certain triggers, particularly at social gathers.
- The Wally enamel pin has eyes that glow in the dark, so you can see it staring back at you when the lights are off. Fitting, given Wally's connection with eyes and the implication that he can somehow see through drawings and other depictions of himself.
- It's been shown by an animation post in the author's Tumblr that Wally eats food by staring at it, with his pupils briefly expanding as he finishes. Combined with the idea that he can see out of eyes from pictures drawn of him, this implies that any illustrations on the website of him with large pupils represent him feeding off the viewer somehow. And given that there's now so much fanart of Wally and the rest of the neighbors, is the fandom unintentionally making him even more powerful when they share these drawings on social media?
