Meta has put a virtual pet app called Waddle World into the iOS and Android stores in the Philippines. TechCrunch reported on 28 October that social media consultant Matt Navarra spotted it first. Meta has not said where it goes next.
Users hatch a pixel pet, then feed it and play games with it. The app doubles as a diary: you tell the pet about your day by voice or text, and it writes the entry up in its own voice, with a doodle. A weekly email recaps what the pet has learned about you.
Meta’s own listing promises no streaks to protect and no scores to chase, and the app is rated for adults only. That reads like a company steering around the trouble Character.AI and OpenAI have met, where lawsuits allege their products harmed teenagers. TechCrunch also floats the idea that Waddle World could be a test for a Tamagotchi-style gadget powered by Muse. That is the outlet’s guess, not a Meta statement.
For anyone building companion software, Meta’s version is a useful yardstick: an adult rating and no streak mechanics are what a large company ships with those lawsuits in view.
Reported by TechCrunch on 28 October 2026.
