Meta launches AI pet app Waddle World in the Philippines
Meta has quietly released Waddle World, an app combining a Tamagotchi-style virtual pet with AI, on iOS and Android in the Philippines, as spotted by social media consultant Matt Navarra. The app lets users hatch and care for a pixel pet, journal their day via text or voice, play short mini-games, and receive weekly AI-generated summaries, with Meta explicitly stating it is not a chatbot or productivity tool and restricting it to users 18 and older.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The limited regional rollout suggests Meta may be testing the concept before a wider or more permanent release, possibly tied to its Muse AI model and rumored Tamagotchi-like hardware. Meta's insistence that the app is 'not a chatbot' and its age restriction could reflect caution following lawsuits against Character.AI and OpenAI over alleged harms from AI companion products.
- Waddle World is live on iOS and Android in the Philippines only, with wider availability unconfirmed.
- The app combines a virtual pet, journaling features, and mini-games powered by AI.
- Meta explicitly frames it as a non-chatbot experience for users 18+, possibly to avoid companion-app liability concerns.
Original Tamagotchi Pix — If Meta's AI pet app has you nostalgic for digital companions, the original Tamagotchi Pix delivers that same cozy virtual pet experience without needing an app or account. It's a fun, tactile throwback that captures exactly the Tamagotchi vibe Meta is chasing with Waddle World.
See Original Tamagotchi Pix on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techcrunch.com — Ivan Mehta, 2026-10-28
Published there as: “Meta has a new AI pet app called Waddle World”
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