So, Niantic Spatial just dropped their mixed reality pet game, Hello, Dot, on Quest 3. This thing? It’s like dragging a virtual pet out of your phone and tossing it into the real world. Weird, right? But kinda cool. They’ve upgraded it with a bunch of new stuff since it left early access.
Right, so this “mixed reality showcase” thing—whatever that means—is an extension of their mobile AR ventures. They kicked off this whole adventure with Peridot back in 2023. Remember that? Nah, me neither.
Apart from Hello, Dot, the folks at Niantic Spatial have been busy bees. They’ve got Peridot Beyond for Snap Spectacles, Pause with Peridot and Snap-a-Dot for Web AR, plus SunnyTune for Apple Vision Pro. Why so many versions? Beats me.
Now, what’s new in this Hello, Dot? Well, they’ve given dots more personality. Imagine that—a digital pet with a personality. They’ve thrown in an arcade machine with these dot play dates. Doesn’t that sound like something? Plus, there’s Gen AI customization via voice prompts. You can basically talk to your game pet. Also, minigames like Dotball, which—I guess—is something like dodgeball? And Eating Contests. Because why not.
Here’s a quirky bit: there’s an image that really captures this madness. I somehow noticed—but that’s just me.
Anyway, so there’s this arcade machine where you can cycle through mini-games. You play, earn currency, buy stuff for your dot. Outfits, playful items. Seriously, it’s like spoiling your digital pet.
Asim Ahmed, from their marketing team, had something to say about this whole evolution thing. He’s talking about “true mixed reality interaction.” Sounds fancy, but who knows what it all means? The app is diving into how digital and physical spaces might mash up in the future. Think about that while you sip your morning coffee.
And oh, the Gen AI-powered customizer? You can use a virtual mic to describe what you want your dot to look like. Then dunk them into a magical paint bucket. It’s like art class but for pixels.
Wanna try it? Hello, Dot’s over on the Horizon Store. It’s free, but only works on Quest 3 and 3S. Just a heads-up.
