Now it is 2025, and the phenomenon of desktop anime companions is sweetly and genuinely upon us. With the latest innovation in this once-distant trend, you can even hire Hatsune Miku herself to casually hang out on your taskbar while you go about your daily computing tasks.
Desktop Mate made its debut on Steam on January 7, with developer infiniteloop promoting it as a “next-generation desktop mascot platform that introduces adorable characters to your computer.” The core application is free and features an original anime girl rendered in 3D for your desktop. You can have her sit on your taskbar, or even on top of a window. You can also move your mouse cursor to give her affectionate headpats, and… you can reposition her around too. Honestly, I’m starting to run out of features to discuss here.
The complimentary app launched with one piece of downloadable content (DLC), a $15 upgrade that adds the vocaloid sensation Hatsune Miku to the lineup of desktop anime characters. She doesn’t quite outperform the other character—neither has a voice, which feels a bit odd considering you’ve included a vocaloid celebrity in your cast—yet, hey, it’s Hatsune Miku.
While I lost interest after about five minutes of installing Desktop Mate, it’s quickly gaining popularity, boasting 295 reviews with 89% positivity and a peak concurrent player count of 6,230 according to SteamDB. These figures aren’t exactly comparable to major titles like Palworld, but they do showcase the undeniable appeal of a desktop waifu. The trend initiated by VPet-Simulato