So you thought that cute little soccer ball droid in the new Star Wars film was just CGI? Wrong!

BB8 made his public debut on stage at the Star Wars Celebration convention in California, to whoops and cheers from adoring fans, on the same day the second teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens was launched. And oh yes… it’s real!

Director JJ Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy looked on fondly at the new edition to the Star Wars family as it rolled around in front of them, conversing in beeps and whistles with its predecessor R2-D2 who was also on stage.

Quite how BB8’s head manages to stay on top of its perfectly smooth and spherical, beachball-like body remains a bit of a mystery (*magnets, cough) but if Star Wars lore is anything to go by, you can be sure that the little guy will be waiting under many a Christmas tree later this year.