Plumo

A talkable AI pet with a rules based “brain” Role - Lead Game Designer Development time - 8 weeks

Overview

Plumo is a talkable AI pet built around co-parenting habits and long-term bonding. It features a rules-based "brain" that responds to user interactions in a realistic and engaging way.

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Key Features

Talkable AI: Engage in conversations with Plumo.
Co-parenting: Work together to raise your virtual pet.
Habit Forming: Encourages positive habits through gameplay.

Design Challenges

Designed for Gen Alpha, the core challenge was creating a digital companion that felt “alive” and responsive without full autonomy, bridging the gap between scripted interactions and emergent behavior.

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Plumo is a living digital pet.

It runs on a robust internal system designed to make the pet feel like it has a mind of its own. Four core metrics drive four prioritized substates, ensuring the pet consistently expresses a distinct personality through its behavior and animations. As shown in this video, the pet throws a tantrum when the player neglects its needs—like feeding it and keeping it happy.

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It’s also designed to be fun to spend time with. Plumo can hold conversations with you and gradually learns from the player using AI—powered by a smart prompting system that adapts and evolves the more you play. Beyond chatting, Plumo can play mini-games like Tic-Tac-Toe and even Pictionary. As shown in this video, the player draws an image and then confirms whether Plumo guessed it correctly.