Peridot (mobile game)
The first title in the franchise, also known as Peridot, is an AR pet simulation game for iOS and Android devices, which launched globally on May 9, 2023. [13] The game entered a soft launch period in select markets in April 2022 ahead of its worldwide release. [14]
Unlike many location-based games, Peridot is primarily experienced through the user's phone camera. It utilizes computer vision to realistically place Dots into the user's environment, enabling them to navigate around and be occluded by real-world objects. This technology also provides the Dots with a semantic understanding of their surroundings, allowing them to interact with things like flowers or bodies of water. [15]
The core gameplay loop involves raising a Dot from infancy to adulthood through direct care and interaction, such as feeding, petting, and playing games like fetch. Outdoor exploration is also a key component; users can take their Dots on walks, complete quests, and discover real-world points of interest where they can breed their adult Dots with others to create unique offspring. [16]
Post-launch updates have expanded on the game's AI capabilities. Generative AI was implemented to further enhance the Dot's intelligence, enabling more dynamic animations and allowing for more nuanced, conversational interactions with the user. [17] [18] [19]
Peridot received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic. [20] Critics generally praised the game's visual design and the underlying AR technology. [21] However, the game drew a lot of criticism for its monetization model. [22]
In February 2024, Niantic, Inc. responded to the perceived 'paywall' issue and introduced sweeping changes to game's monetization focus alleviating a variety of criticisms that players and reviewers had at the game's launch. [23]
Hello, Dot
Titled Hello, Dot, this version is an interactive head-mounted display experience that launched on Meta Quest in May 2024 [24] [25] and Apple Vision Pro in November 2024. [26] Utilizing the mixed-reality passthrough capabilities of these headsets, Hello, Dot creates a more immersive experience than the mobile game. By integrating the virtual pet into the user's full field of view, it allows for direct, hands-on interaction with the creature through the use of hand tracking technology.
The experience on Meta Quest was significantly expanded in May 2025 with the introduction of a virtual, arcade-style contraption that serves as a central hub. From this machine, users can launch various minigames, such as "Dotball" and eating contests, to earn in-game currency for cosmetic items, such as outfits for their Dots. The expansion also added a generative AI-powered customization tool. This feature allows users to verbally describe a desired appearance for their Dot, which the AI then generates and applies as a custom pattern to the creature's skin. [27] [28] [29]
Peridot Beyond
Peridot Beyond is an augmented reality glasses experience developed for Snap's Spectacles. It was announced and launched in September 2024 at the Snap Partner Summit and serves as a technology showcase for the franchise's application on wearable AR devices designed for outdoor use. [30]
Unlike the mobile game or headset versions, the experience focuses on ambient companionship. Interaction is primarily driven by hand gestures, which allow the user to pet their Dot, play fetch, and guide it to forage for food. [31] The experience also features a shared multiplayer mode, enabling multiple users to see and interact with each other's Dots, and can be connected to the Peridot mobile game, allowing actions in Peridot Beyond to earn rewards in the mobile app. [32]
As the Spectacles hardware is not currently available for consumer purchase, the experience serves as a demonstration of the franchise's long-term vision for persistent, AI-driven companions on future consumer-ready AR glasses.
