Doctor Who fans need to go and grab a virtual reality (VR) headset today as the new interactive experience Doctor Who: The Runaway has just arrived on the BBC VR app.
Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival last month, Doctor Who: The Runaway is a 13-minute animation with interactive features starring the 13th Doctor, Jodie Whittaker. Viewers find themselves inside the famous Tardis, suddenly roped in as the Doctor’s unlikely assistant as she once again tries to save to galaxy from destruction.
The menace this time, a seemingly innocuous ball of energy called Volta, a teenager with a tantrum who has run away from home. Unfortunately, anywhere other than his home planet Volta can become rather unstable, and when agitated can turn into a rather destructive black hole, so the Doctor is trying to get him home as fast as possible.
Naturally, it’s never plain sailing in the world of the Doctor and as the assistant, you need to help out in a variety of ways, from piloting the Tardis to keeping Volta calm. “Fans will find themselves at the centre of this wonderfully animated story, helped by the natural charm and humour of Jodie Whittaker, in an adventure that really captures the magic of Doctor Who. Viewers truly are in for a treat – for those who ever dreamed of helping to pilot the TARDIS, this is your opportunity!” says Jo Pearce, creative director for the BBC’s digital drama team in a statement.
“This is the most ambitious project yet from our team in the BBC VR Hub, and the result is a magical adventure that Doctor Who fans everywhere will simply love,” adds Zillah Watson, head of BBC VR Hub. “It also shows the enormous potential that virtual reality has for creating new kinds of experiences that appeal to mainstream audiences.”
There will be two versions of Doctor Who: The Runaway depending on the headset, with the full 13-minute interactive experience available for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on their respective stores, with an 11-minute 360-degree video version available to download from the BBC VR App for Oculus Go and GearVR. Produced by the BBC’s digital drama team, BBC VR Hub and Passion Animation Studios, for further updates from the BBC VR team, keep reading VRFocus.