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

Okay, so picture this—Niantic Spatial just pulled the curtains off their quirky little mixed reality pet thingamajig called Hello, Dot. Yeah, it’s now live on Quest 3. Can’t believe it was just loitering around in early access before. Anyway, this playful world now comes loaded with a ton (and I mean a TON) of fresh features.

So, here’s the scoop: Hello, Dot is like this crazy AR carnival ride. Kicked off its journey with Peridot on mobile back in 2023. You’re probably rolling your eyes saying, “So what?” But hold on! This isn’t some random tech fluff. There’s Dot stuff everywhere—Peridot Beyond for Snap Spectacles, Pause with Peridot, Snap-a-Dot for Web AR, and yes, even SunnyTune for Apple Vision Pro. I couldn’t make this up if I tried.

Now back to the main show, Hello, Dot. It’s graduated from early access with a bang. We’re talking dots with bizarre, maybe borderline mischievous, personalities. Plus, there’s an arcade machine—dots having play dates? It’s like a sugar rush for your senses. Gen AI customization? You just yak into a virtual microphone and WHOOSH, your Dot’s rocking whatever crazy style you dream up. Never thought I’d say this, but it’s kinda neat.

There’s this arcade machine, right? You can jump into random activities like Dotball (some dodgeball spinoff, apparently) or, get this, an Eating Contest. It all seems ridiculous until you realize there’s in-game currency involved. Fancy hats and silly outfits for your Dot, anyone? Honestly, no clue why that’s fun, but hey, it works.

Asim Ahmed, the marketing brainiac, babbled something about it all being magical and blending with everyday reality. Yeah, okay Asim, we get it, it’s the future! Or whatever. Still, it’s kind of wild to see how far they’re pushing the mixed reality scene.

You wanna dive into this mess of wonder and weirdness? Go hit up the Horizon Store—it’s free for Quest 3 and 3S. If you’re curious or have an afternoon to waste, maybe give it a shot. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.