Yeah, using something like Slack or Discord to communicate with friends and co-workers is nice and all. But don’t you wish that sometimes things could be a little more… personable? Nano Neighbors is looking to fill that void, offering an adorable take on idle desktop simulators. Imagine the idea of something like Gather, but with adorable chibi characters instead. Communicate with your buddies without needing to open a new window, play mini-games, and take care of your anime friends. Plus, with Twitch integration, this may be the best way to let your viewers interact and hang out with you. If you’re into that kind of thing.

Think of ‘Rusty’s Retirement,’ but Make It Way Cuter. ‘Nano Neighbors’ Is Going to Always Be Running on My PC

Growing up in the ’90s, these idle desktop games are very similar to something like a Tamagotchi. You’ve got something small and adorable just hanging out in your general vicinity. It’s your responsibility to pick up after them, feed them, and interact with them in some capacity. There are fewer bathroom breaks in these newer versions, and I’m more than fine with that. But, unlike other idle desktop games, Nano Neighbors lets your friends come and hang out with you.

By joining your world, your friends can chat with you via their NANO. Or, if you’re feeling a little anti-social, you can just spend time with your new gal pal. Change how your NANO looks, upgrade their living space, and make sure they live the happiest life possible. It’s a silly concept, but after losing far more hours than I’d like to admit by having creepy crawlies roaming around my screen with Weyrdlets, I get the appeal.

Granted, Nano Neighbors stays put, whereas my Wagyu would roam around my screen without much of a care in the world. I’m incredibly thankful about that aspect of this virtual pet. The concept is incredibly novel, and I’m very intrigued to see how I can interact with my NANO. Honestly, I’d rather use this than Slack any day of the week, so hopefully I can convince everybody I know to join me.