This Must-Have New Toy Brings 2023 Technology to Digital Pets

You know how every year come holiday season there's a hot toy that's at the top of every kid's wish list? Well, meet Bitzee, the digital pet that kids can actually touch; you're going to want to preorder yours now. Whether you had one when you were growing up or heard of them in the pop culture zeitgeist, digital pets have long been a fan favorite amongst kids and kids at heart. Topping holiday toy lists, getting banned from schools, and spurring fandoms across generations, pocket-sized digital pets have had a big impact on the toy space. Of course, with today's vast digital landscape and much more evolved technology, digital pals have also advanced with impressive new features.

With its latest creation, Spin Master — the company behind popular brands like Kinetic Sand, Hatchimals, Bakugan and PAW Patrol — is throwing its signature innovation in the ring. Bitzee breaks the mold with an impressive new advancement in digital pets — kids can actually "touch" their digital pet, offering a whole new way to play.

It all starts with an 8-bit puppy character that children care for, feed and play with, and also rock to sleep after a long day of interactions. Bitzee even makes adorable sounds and reacts to tilts, swipes, and shakes — just like a real pet would react to commands. After Bitzee has received the maximum amount of love (i.e. filling up its love meter), it will evolve! Each Bitzee evolves from baby, to adult, to a super Bitzee. Once a super Bitzee, pet parents will unlock a special outfit and unique game that they can play with their Bitzee, such as Mouse Chef where players catch ingredients falling from the sky or Unicorn Party Animal where they can break open a piñata full of goodies.

Bitzee gives kids something to nurture and be responsible for. If they forget about Bitzee, the pet may run away, but don't worry: Bitzee can always be persuaded to return with treats and an extra dose of love and affection. With 15 characters in each pod — including a puppy, hedgehog, and bunny, as well as rare characters (butterfly, poodle, chameleon) and legendary characters (mercat and unicorn) — each Bitzee collection is special in its own way.

"We love delivering unique innovation and disrupting play patterns, transforming the way kids play and interact with toys," says Chris Beardall, Spin Master's President of Toys and Chief Commercial Officer. "Bitzee epitomizes our obsession with pushing the boundaries of play, introducing adorable digital pets that kids can really touch, feel, and interact with, reimagining a once two-dimensional interaction and infusing it with color, gamification, and collectability."

The best part of Bitzee is the price tag; parents will be happy to learn that each Bitzee is $30, which is a steal for this level of advanced, innovative technology. Now each generation, from Gen X to Gen Alpha, will have something else in common: a love and appreciation for digital interactive pets. Bitzee is available for preorder now on Amazon, Walmart and Target, launching at all major retailers on August 1. It's the must-have item for 2023 so lock yours in now and save yourself the stress come holiday season.