Stellar Cafe: A Chatty Twist on Job Simulator With AI Bots
▼ Summary
– Stellar Cafe is a new VR game by AstroBeam, created by Devin Reimer, focusing on verbal interactions with bots, unlike traditional button-based games.
– The game challenges players to engage in conversations with bots, requiring them to adapt from traditional gaming habits, which can feel disorienting.
– Stellar Cafe uses hand tracking and voice-first input, with no controllers, and features a character called “Visor” for specific interactions.
– Reimer, who developed Job Simulator, has licensed some of its technology for Stellar Cafe, which will launch on Quest headsets first but isn’t exclusive to Meta.
– The game aims to create immersive, conversational experiences without traditional win/lose states, with user testing ongoing to refine interactions.
Exploring the boundaries of human-AI interaction, Stellar Cafe reimagines virtual reality with voice-driven gameplay that challenges decades of gaming conventions. Developed by AstroBeam, the studio founded by Job Simulator creator Devin Reimer, this experimental VR experience drops players into a space station café where robotic patrons demand verbal engagement rather than button presses.
During a hands-on demo, the game’s AI-driven characters proved disarmingly persistent, turning what might seem like casual small talk into an unexpectedly personal encounter. One bot, hosting a mock podcast, grilled the player about their discomfort with conversational AI, an interaction that blurred the line between gameplay and psychological reflection. The absence of traditional controllers amplifies the immersion, relying entirely on hand tracking and voice commands. A character named Visor assists with navigation, but otherwise, success hinges on thinking, and speaking, on your feet.
Reimer acknowledges the learning curve, noting that non-gamers often adapt faster than seasoned players accustomed to text prompts and button combos. Stellar Cafe builds on physics systems originally crafted for Job Simulator, now refined to handle dynamic vocal input. While Meta’s Quest headsets will debut the title later this year, Reimer hints at potential multi-platform expansion.
The experience raises provocative questions about playtime metrics in VR. Unlike conventional games, progression here depends on dialogue depth rather than scripted objectives. Want a drink? Skip the menu, ask the robotic bartender directly. Early testers report moments of friction, but also surprising delight as the bots react to subtle cues like head nods.
With its wishlist now live, Stellar Cafe could redefine social VR by treating conversation as the ultimate gameplay mechanic. Whether players embrace or resist its unorthodox approach, Reimer’s team is betting on voice as the next frontier for virtual interaction.
(Source: Upload VR)
