Hasbro has named Just Play as the worldwide master toy licensee for its animatronic pet brand FurReal. And the Florida-based toyco is working on a new toy line that will roll out globally in 2024.

FurReal originally launched in the early 2000s and has since sold more than 100 million units in 75-odd countries. Just Play plans to refresh the animatronic line of toys ranging from familiar house pets like cats and dogs to mythical creatures such as unicorns with a focus on pet play/care and experiences kids can have with their animal friends.

The pet theme seems to be generally hot right now in the kids market, perhaps driven by an uptick in pet ownership during the pandemic. In October, CBC Kids greenlit Canadian studio Lopii Productions’ Bestest Day Ever With My Best Friend!, in which real kids throw parties for their pets. Kickstart Entertainment is also developing a new animated series based on real-life Instagram star Doug the Pug. And toyco WowWee is returning to the pet market with a new robot dog called Dog-E, sporting features such as a tail that can display text and an app that changes its color.

In other recent news involving the two companies, Hasbro tapped Just Play to rep its Easy-Bake Oven brand in December.

Pictured is FurReal’s Furreal Plum the Curious Panda from 2019.