Meta Launches AI-Powered Tamagotchi-Style Virtual Pet App Waddle World in Limited Test Rollout

Meta, which has been running a rapid pipeline of experimental AI-focused consumer tools in recent months, has soft-launched a brand new app named Waddle World: a nostalgic virtual pet experience modeled closely after the classic Tamagotchi handheld toy, reimagined with generative AI functionality. While the release is framed as a public trial, industry observers note it is very likely a precursor to Meta’s upcoming Muse-powered physical Tamagotchi-like smart pet gadget currently in development.

Right now, Waddle World is only available to download for iOS and Android users located in the Philippines. The app was first identified by social media industry consultant Matt Navarra, and its core features let users select, hatch, raise, feed and play with their own custom pixel virtual pet. Our team has reached out to Meta’s communications team for official details on wider regional release timelines, and this report will be updated promptly if we receive a response.

Unusually for a product from a major social tech firm, Meta’s official app listing explicitly notes Waddle World is intentionally designed not to act as a habit-forming tool that pressures users into extended daily screen time. The platform is marked as suitable only for users 18 and older, and Meta clarifies upfront that it is not built to function as a standard AI chatbot.

"Waddle World is a cozy 16-bit universe where your pixel pet makes its home. Hatch a virtual pet, drop in for visits whenever you like, and let it get to know you at your own pace. There is zero pressure, no daily login streaks you have to protect, no scores you have to chase — just a warm little escape you can slot into the small gaps of your day," the app’s official description reads. "It is not a chatbot. Not an assistant. Not a productivity tool. It’s just a pet, and a little dedicated space. Stay for two minutes or hang out for twenty — it will be happy to see you either way."

The app also doubles as a low-friction personal journal: users can log their daily experiences via voice note or typed text, and their AI pet will rework that entry in its own distinct playful voice, paired with a custom doodle illustration to mark the memory. It also includes a set of short, casual mini-games built for quick minute-long play sessions, and sends users a personalized weekly email recap based on all the details it learned about them from their journal inputs.

This low-stakes, no-pressure design choice, paired with the 18+ age gate, appears to be a deliberate strategic call from Meta to avoid the legal and regulatory scrutiny facing rival AI developers including Character.AI and OpenAI, which are currently navigating multiple active lawsuits alleging their unfiltered AI companion products caused tangible psychological harm to teenage users.

The Waddle World trial is just the latest niche AI-first test app Meta has rolled out recently, following prior releases like Pocket (a tool that lets users build small custom games through casual natural language prompts) and Vibes (a fast short-form AI video generator). The virtual pet concept also aligns with a growing broader industry trend, as a number of other tech firms are now developing both software and physical hardware versions of AI-powered companion pets for consumer markets.