Niantic Brings Its Virtual Pet to Meta Quest 3 Users Worldwide

• Hello, Dot exits early access and becomes a fully interactive MR pet experience available worldwide on Meta Quest 3.
• New features include minigames, a Gen AI-based customization tool, and deeper spatial interactions for bonding with digital companions.

Niantic has officially launched Hello, Dot globally on Meta Quest 3, transforming its Peridot experience into a free mixed-reality toy. Designed to be more than a virtual pet, Hello, Dot merges physical space with digital interaction, using the Quest’s spatial capabilities to create a new category of immersive play.

Central to the update is a playful virtual arcade machine that appears in users' rooms, offering a series of minigames like Dotball and eating contests. These activities reward players with in-game currency for customizing their Dot’s look and behavior, enhancing engagement through lighthearted, room-scale interactions.

One of the standout additions is a generative AI-powered customization tool that allows users to describe desired patterns or themes for their Dot. The system then brings these designs to life in real time, strengthening the emotional connection between users and their virtual companions while showcasing the potential of AI-enhanced MR play.

Watch: The original "Hello, Dot" launch video from Niantic via YouTube

🌀 Toms' Take:

Niantic’s Peridot continues to redefine what gaming can be in the age of spatial computing. With the official launch of Hello, Dot on Meta Quest, alongside the mobile app’s pioneering use of semantic segmentation to understand real-world environments and the Peridot Beyond AR experience on Snap’s Spectacles, Dots are quickly emerging as the definitive digital companion of spatial play.

Source: Niantic Labs