Messaging, no, voice chat, maybe. I haven't actually tried it so I'm just theorizing here, but to me personally, I could see being in a simulated physical space

Messaging, no, voice chat, maybe. I haven't actually tried it so I'm just theorizing here, but to me personally, I could see being in a simulated physical space with someone as enhancing the experience of a long call. I also want to make the distinction between spending time with friends in a game vs spending time with friends in a voice call. I don't think a game and this kind of utility are a good comparison because, while they're both in virtual spaces, they have very different goals. If you look at this as a game with all the gameplay taken out, yes, it's undeniably lame. If you look at this as, say, a Skype call where I can take a stroll with someone, then I do think there's a value add here.