What is a shared virtual pet, and how does it work?

A virtual pet is a digital creature you look after: you feed it, play with it, keep it clean, and watch it grow. A shared virtual pet is the same idea, except two people look after one pet together, each from their own device.

How a shared pet works

Under the hood, a shared pet is one set of data — hunger, energy, mood, level — stored online and connected to two accounts. When one person does something, that data changes, and the other person sees the change next time they open the app.

In Lovegotchi, it works like this:

1. Pairing. One person creates a shared home and gets an invite code. The other person enters it. Now both accounts point at the same pet.
2. Care. Either person can Feed, Play, Cuddle, Sleep, Rest, Bathe, or Talk to Mochi. Each action updates her needs for both of you.
3. Time. Mochi’s needs slowly drop over time, so there’s always a reason to check back.
4. Growth. Care earns experience. Your shared level decides Mochi’s stage, from Egg to Legend.

Why asynchronous play matters

The best shared pets don’t require you to be online together. One person can care in the morning and the other at night; both actions count. That’s what makes shared pets work for long-distance couples, friends in different time zones, or just people with very different schedules.

Shared vs. separate pets

Some apps give each person their own pet and let friends visit or compare. That’s fun, but it’s a different feeling. With a truly shared pet, you can see each other’s care — the pet you open up is the one your partner just fed. It becomes a quiet way of saying “I was here.”

A short history

Virtual pets took off in the late 1990s with handheld toys like the Tamagotchi. Later handhelds let two devices connect so pets could meet, and Bandai’s Tamagotchi On app even let characters marry and have families before the app was shut down in 2022. Today, phone apps make it possible for two people to raise the very same pet from anywhere — which is exactly what shared virtual pet apps do.

What makes a good shared pet app

• One pet, clearly shared. Both people should see the same state.
• Several kinds of care. Feeding alone gets repetitive.
• Visible growth. Stages or levels make long-term care feel meaningful.
• Gentle pacing. Reminders should help, not guilt you.
• Privacy. For couples especially, the space should belong to the two of you.

If you want to see how different apps approach it, our comparison of virtual pet apps for couples covers six of them, from full pet games to widget apps.