Meta has launched a new mobile app called Pocket that lets users create fully functional interactive game prototypes simply by typing prompts into a text box, without any option to view or edit the underlying code.
What Happened
Pocket launched in the US on August 21 after Meta acquired the staff behind the now-defunct vibe-coding app Gizmo in March. The app allows users to generate interactive "gizmos" through natural language prompts alone, with no interface for examining generated code. Created gizmos can be shared in a TikTok-style endless scroll feed that includes likes, comments, and reposts. An Ars Technica reporter who spent roughly a week using the app found it effective for quickly standing up functional game prototypes, but noted the resulting projects are trapped within Meta's ecosystem with no way to export or repurpose them independently.
Why It Matters
Pocket represents Meta's push to make AI-assisted coding as accessible as social media posting, targeting users with no technical background. The app's walled-garden approach raises questions about developer autonomy and long-term ownership of AI-generated projects. While the tool lowers barriers to game prototyping, users who invest time creating gizmos have no clear path to extract or commercialize their work outside Meta's platform.
The Bottom Line
Meta's Pocket app demonstrates both the promise and pitfalls of vibe-coding tools: rapid prototyping without coding knowledge is now possible, but projects created within the platform remain entirely under Meta's control with no export functionality available.