British television programs Doctor Who and Top Gear are coming to the metaverse. The BBC is working with metaverse development company Reality+ to create a collection of immersive experiences based on the two shows in The Sandbox metaverse.
Doctor Who is a science-fiction series broadcast by the BBC for 60 years. The series shows the adventures of a Time Lord called “the Doctor,” a scientist from a distant planet, who travels through time and space in a shop known by the acronym TARDIS.
Top Gear is a motoring and factual TV program where “hosts talk about the specifications of the latest models while reviewing the performance of the vehicles.” Both Doctor Who and Top Gear enjoy a cult following.
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BBC explores new worlds
According to Nicki Sheard, president of brands & licensing at BBC Studios, fans will be able to interact with immersive content from the two television shows in The Sandbox. This is the first time that the broadcaster will have a home in the metaverse.
“While the metaverse is still in its infancy, it may shape how we consume and experience entertainment in the future and I’m looking forward to seeing how fans interact with our brands in this space,” Sheard said in a statement.
The Doctor Who and Top Gear experiences launch is part of the broadcaster’s strategy to tap new trends in the entertainment industry and a claim a stake in the metaverse, a new frontier where people can explore new worlds, meet new people, and create new experiences.
.”This project forms part of BBC Studios’ broader ambitious plans to grow our brands into new categories, with innovative technology and platforms forming an integral part of this,” Sheard added.
Per the statement, the BBC Studios’ metaverse space in will launch later this year and further details will be released in due course. The experiences will be accessible via the “BBC Events Space” on decentralized gaming and metaverse platform, The Sandbox.
🔷 @BBC is joining The Sandbox! 🔷
In partnership with @RealityPlusWeb3, favorite brands like @BBC_TopGear and @DoctorWho_BBCA will be bringing immersive new experiences to our community playing around the world! 🌐https://t.co/mpAPLj3ru5
— The Sandbox (@TheSandboxGame) May 25, 2023
Entertainment sector taps the metaverse
The BBC’s move into the metaverse is part of a broader trend among major media entities. In recent months, brands such as Disney, Warner Music Group, and Universal have all created their own metaverse experiences in The Sandbox.
The metaverse is seen as a major opportunity for media companies to reach new audiences and generate new revenue streams. Nicki Sheard said the launch of the Top Gear and Doctor Who experiences is just the beginning of the BBC’s metaverse journey.
The broadcaster plans to launch more experiences in the metaverse in the future, based on its other popular brands. Reality+ previously teamed up with BBC Studios to develop the “Doctor Who: Worlds Apart” digital trading card game.
“We’re excited…not only to help them [BBC] push the boundaries of what’s possible in the metaverse, but for the opportunity to deliver exciting new experiences for the fans of these world-renowned TV shows,” said Reality+ cofounder Tony Pearce.
In a statement, The Sandbox chief operating officer Sebastien Borget, said: “The BBC has a history of pioneering content that leverages the latest tech and putting it into mainstream households.”
“We think this venture is an important step to bringing British culture and fans into virtual worlds,” he added.
SAND, the native cryptocurrency token of The Sandbox ecosystem rose more than 2.2% to $0.518962 after the news. The token has slumped 94% since its all-time-high of $8.40 on Nov. 25, 2021, according to CoinGecko data.
Metaverse not dead
The metaverse is a virtual world that is accessed through a variety of devices, including VR headsets and smartphones. It is seen as the next generation of the internet and is already being used by a number of companies, including Meta, Microsoft and Roblox.
However, some people have suggested that the “metaverse is dead“, even before it has fully materialized. The observations are fueled by recent events at major tech firms like Meta, Microsoft, and Tencent which have all sacked thousands of staff from their metaverse units.
Meta, considered a leader in the metaverse, last year reported a $13.7 billion loss at its metaverse subsidiary Reality Labs. BBC’s foray into the metaverse indicates that the concept still draws attention from big global brands, including those from the beauty industry, as MetaNews reported recently.
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