Niantic Spatial’s Charming Pet Sim ‘Hello, Dot’ Exits Early Access on Quest 3

I’m sitting here, and I swear the cat just made a weird sound—like, is it hiccuping? Anyway, let’s talk about this quirky game thing, Hello, Dot. It just dropped on Quest 3, and if you’re into mixed reality—yeah, that’s like playing with stuff that doesn’t exist but kinda does—then you’re in for a ride. This game has been chilling in early access but now it’s out in the wild, and boom, it’s loaded with extras.

Niantic Spatial—the brains behind this bizarro world—calls Hello, Dot their “mixed reality showcase.” Fancy, right? It kicked off with Peridot on mobile back in 2023. Honestly, I barely remember what I had for breakfast, let alone what happened in 2023, but this seems cool. Apart from Hello, Dot, they’ve cooked up other XR (that’s extended reality for us non-techies) goodies like Peridot Beyond for Snap Spectacles. No clue what those are, probably some sort of fancy glasses. Also, Pause with Peridot, Snap-a-Dot for Web AR, and, get this, SunnyTune for Apple Vision Pro. Why’s everything gotta have such funky names?

So Hello, Dot’s just rolled out with brand new features. Let me try to list ’em without getting sidetracked: Dots with more personality—like your chatty aunt at Thanksgiving. And, oh man, there’s an arcade machine. I had this random flashback to arcades smelling like burnt popcorn and old carpet. Anyway, this one’s got playdates and these nutty Gen AI voice prompts. Ever wanted to tell your game pet how to dress? Now you can. Minigames too—Dotball anyone? Sounds like dodgeball but less gym trauma. Eating contests… which, odd as it sounds, I’m kinda curious about.

There’s even some vague nod to the future with this AI guide partner thing. The future—it’s like a word that pops up on your phone, then a hundred pointless notifications distract you. What was I saying? Oh, right, Hello, Dot’s arcade lets you do all these goofy activities. Play games, earn pretend money, then grab outfits and silly items for your virtual pet. I’d call it retail therapy but for your Dot.

Here’s a tidbit from Asim Ahmed, some top honcho at Niantic. He’s jazzed about pushing into “the magic of true mixed reality interaction.” You know, how digital stuff spices up our living rooms—or something about seamlessly weaving wonder into life. Sounds mystical, but I kinda want to see my Dot do a little prance across my table now.

Don’t forget about this Gen AI-powered customizer, where you mumble into a virtual mic and, poof, your Dot’s all dolled up with a splash of virtual paint. It’s on the Horizon Store for free—well, for Quest 3 or 3S users. And there goes the cat again, staring at the wall like it knows secrets. Life’s a trip, right?