When Pokemon Sleep was first announced in 2019, I wondered if the company behind one of the most iconic animations was dreaming too big. Getting people out of their houses and onto streets and parks with Pokemon Go was already a huge success. But did people care as much about their sleep hours as they did about their steps?
After several delays, Pokemon Sleep finally launched in 2023 to high interest, becoming the most downloaded sleep game app in the world, according to the Japanese news outlet Famitsu.
On Thursday, the Pokemon Company is partnering with Google and Fitbit to help people take their sleep even more seriously – while still having fun – with the new $129 special-edition Fitbit Air.
It’s a pairing that makes a lot of sense. The minimal design of the Fitbit Air is tailored for extended wear, including for sleep tracking, and Pokemon Sleep gamifies the resting experience so you hopefully rest for longer each night.
The stylistic touches will resonate with fans
I’ve been wearing the new special-edition Fitbit Air for half a day now, and it comes with a deep blue woven wristband and a cutesy Pikachu etching above the adhesive. On the wrist, it feels a lot like the original tracker, which launched earlier this year.
That’s a good thing, as CNET lead reviewer Vanessa Hand Orellana found the Fitbit Air slim, lightweight, and comfortable to wear during testing. Like the standard model, you can also pop out the pebble, which encapsulates the optical heart rate monitor, gyroscope, and other health-tracking sensors, and swap out the band.
Unfortunately for Pokemon fans who already have a Fitbit Air, Google tells me that the new band won’t be sold separately
Beyond the special-edition fitness tracker, I spotted some tasteful Easter eggs that decorate the box and packaging. I noticed various sleepy Pokemon, including Psyduck and Slowpoke, on the flipside of the cover, and a Mew that’s hidden on the wristband holder.
Everyone can play (and sleep)
The special edition Fitbit Air can sync with both the Google Health app and the Pokemon Sleep app, so you can track metrics like your daily movement, heart rate and cardio load during the daytime. Then you can more accurately log the duration and quality of your sleep overnight.
Google says the Pokemon Sleep app will sync with the special edition Fitbit Air, as well as all other Google and Fitbit wearables, including the Pixel Watch. That means you now have more wearable options to help build up your Drowsy Power, the in-game mechanic that determines how many wild Pokemon appear in your campsite, and how rare their sleeping styles are.
Previously, you either had to set your phone beside your pillow or wear a now-discontinued Pokemon Go Plus band to properly track and record your sleep.
Availability and release date
The Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokemon Sleep, in its sleepy blue color, is now available for preorder online or at the Google Store and Target for $129.
That’s $30 more than the retail price of the standard Fitbit Air, but it does come with the thematic wristband, a unique code that gets you Pikachu Incense in Pokemon Sleep, and a three-month trial of Google Health Premium.
Orders will start shipping on Sept. 15, just a day before the release of Pokemon’s 30th Celebration TCG set, in light of the company’s anniversary.
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