Back in June, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery introduced the ability to purchase and own pets. Players can choose a cat, a toad, a toad, or an owl (or any combination of all four) to take up residence in their dormitory and to accompany them when adventuring through the wizarding world.

In a new update, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery developer Jam City has added new pet cosmetics for players to unlock. There is now a range of pet "skins" to choose from, with some offering significant changes from the default look. A handful of examples include a orange/white or creamy golden look for the owl, a white skin for the cat, an black/white look for the rat, and a speckled skin for the toad. In addition to the names that players can give their creatures, the skins offer another avenue of pet personalization.

Unfortunately, though, the new pet skins don't come cheap. While some skins (such as the speckled toad look) can be purchased with gold, the majority seem to cost gems. Plus, some skins are far more pricey than others. The monochrome rat skin, for instance, costs just 35 gems whereas the equivalent skin for the cat will set players back by a whopping 300 gems. Some players may already be frustrated that they have to pay gems for these skins - especially given how expensive pets are in the first place - but the pricing discrepancies may only add insult to injury.

Though with that said, there is a small salve for players who can't afford to purchase gems and gold or don't want to watch ads to earn the currencies. Jam City has also introduced a new quest called Croak and Swagger!, which offers up rewards for getting full stars in any class. The biggest reward is either the base toad (if players don't yet own the pet) or a green/orange tiger-stripe toad skin if they already own the pet. Players have just over a week to complete the challenge.

For those already disgruntled by the way that Jam City has added pets - including the price tags and the plot holes - these skins aren't going to do anything to fix that. But for others who greatly enjoy their creature companions (including the free energy that they give out), these skins will be welcomed with open arms and many will be hoping that more are added further down the line.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is available on Android and iOS devices.