Introducing the latest bizarre creation to hit the internet: a Tamagotchi encased within a vape, whose life depends on your continued inhalation. If you stop vaping, the Tamagotchi dies… Dark, I know.

This strange invention emerged from the “Stupid Hackathon” hosted by New York University’s (NYU) Tisch School Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) and its Interactive Media Arts department. The event, as described on the ITP website, invites students to craft “absurd and utterly useless” projects. If you’ve got an idea so ridiculous that it must exist, this is the place to make it happen.

Among the odd creations showcased in a TikTok video posted by ITP, one particularly stands out: the Vape-o-Gotchi. In the video, an interviewer asks a participant about their project. In response, the creator explains the invention, revealing the element of the smoking device that has everyone gagged—if you ever stop hitting the vape, your new treasured pet will meet a terrible fate.

@itp_ima_nyu

some stupid projects from the stupid hackathon 2025 @joshjoshjosh.net went to go check em out #hackathon #stupid #technology

♬ original sound - itp/ima nyu

@lostvape_pl

#ursapocket #lostvape #asmr #tamagotchi #vapegame #dlaciebie

♬ original sound - J

In an interview with Future, Rebecca Xun and Lucia Camacho, the creators of the vape, shared their motivations behind the creations. Xun, who started vaping last year, as a part of her efforts to quit cigarettes, noticed how attached many of her friends were to their vapes. Aware of the well–known risk of vaping, she wondered if “glamifying” the experience could discourage her. Initially, the idea was to make the vape kill the digital pet when used, almost as a way of guilt-tripping the user into stopping it. Camacho, inspired by the concept of parental locks on apps, suggested a similar approach to nicotine. However, when they discovered the Stupid Hackathon, they decided to add a more “evil” twist to the idea.

Things are so bad. https://t.co/39jsvtpFTm

— Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) March 5, 2025

Additionally, since Tamagotchis were originally designed as children’s toys, this creation could be seen as a critique of the vaping industry’s role in reigniting nicotine addiction among younger generations. On a broader level, it might also serve as a commentary on the increasing tech dependency among youth.

I mean, we all know that the recent surge in colourful vapes with tropical scents and sweet, dessert-like flavours is not just a coincidence—they were clearly designed with a specific target audience in mind: children and teenagers. The vaping industry, with its lack of stringent regulations, has capitalised on this by offering products that not only cater to youthful preferences but also bypass the typical deterrents seen in other nicotine products, like the warning labels on cigarette packs.

So, yes, this idea was likely a subtle nod to the surge of vapes in recent years. But what do you think? Is this just a stupid invention or reflective of something deeper?