Hatchimals Fail To Hatch, Cause Disappointment For Parents And Kids On Christmas Morning

Not a few households were not able to enjoy their Christmas thanks to a bunch of eggs called Hatchimals. These curious objects promise to hatch into toys.

Unfortunately for some kids and the parents that must deal with the consequences of the error, the egg remained an egg no matter how much rub, tap and knock the shell sustained.

What Are Hatchimals?

For the benefit of those clueless about this entire affair, Hatchimal is a toy that borrows the beloved Tamagotchi concept, a handheld digital pet popular in the early 1990s.

While the egg-hatching business in Tamagotchi transpires inside the virtual space, Hatchimals involve a real "egg" that needs to be petted and rubbed for 30 minutes in order to hatch.

If the egg got sufficient interaction, Spin Master — its maker — promised that the toy would peck its way out of the cracks.

Just like any pet, the Hatchimal, which seems a cross between a bird and a penguin, also needs care, attention and interaction in order to "mature" or at least learn to talk.

The concept proved hard to resist for consumers so that Hatchimals immediately became the hottest toy during the holiday season not just in the United States but also in other countries such as the United Kingdom.

There are even stores reporting that their stocks have been wiped clean. Some unscrupulous individuals also began selling Hatchimals at eBay for as high as $250 considering the demand.

Hatching Problem

There are parents who were able to snag a Hatchimal egg and dutifully followed all the hatching instructions to no avail. They are probably holding vigil as we speak, waiting for the toy to emerge. Some of these have even followed to the letter the tips and tricks that Spin Master has posted on its websites but they did not make any difference.

You may be sure that frustrated customers began flooding Twitter with complaints especially after it was clear that an obviously swamped Spin Master customer support team will not be able to provide any help. It could spin out of control if left unchecked based on other toy makers' experience.

"Unfortunately, with toys that incorporate a high level of technology, there are also some cases where the product may not perform as well as expected," a spokesperson for Spin Master managed to tell CNN. "We are committed to doing everything possible to resolve these issues." The lucky ones, however, who got a working egg, are now enjoying their pets and some are posting their delight in social media.