BBC Studios takes Top Gear and Doctor Who to the Sandbox Metaverse

BBC Studios has partnered with Web3 specialist Reality+ to create a metaverse experience in The Sandbox where fans will be able to interact with immersive content from their favourite brands, including Top Gear and Doctor Who, and enjoy a BBC events space.

The joint venture between BBC Studios and Reality+ marks the first time the BBC will have a home in the metaverse, following a handful of brand activation experiments with metaverse platforms. Part virtual real estate, part amusement park, The Sandbox fully embraces the idea of the metaverse as a continuous shared digital space, in which players and brands can build, own, and monetise their experiences on blockchain.

BBC Studios joins over 400 other entertainment brands who have entered The Sandbox to date, including Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, Gucci Vault, The Walking Dead, and Adidas.

Nicki Sheard, President Brands & Licensing, BBC Studios, said, “I’m delighted that BBC Studios is partnering with Reality+ and The Sandbox on this exciting venture. 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. 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.”

Tony Pearce, Co-Founder, Reality+ said, “We’re excited to have extended our partnership with BBC Studios, not only to help them 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. We’ve already achieved so much with digital trading card game Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, and now with a fantastic platform like The Sandbox, there’s much more to come.”

Sebastien Borget, COO and Co-Founder at The Sandbox, added, “We’re proud that BBC Studios chose Reality+, a certified metaverse agency partner working on The Sandbox platform, to enter the metaverse with top global brands like Doctor Who and Top Gear. The BBC has a history of pioneering content that leverages the latest technology and putting it into mainstream households. We think this venture is an important step to bringing British culture and fans into virtual worlds.”

BBC Studios’ metaverse space in The Sandbox will launch later this year and further details will be released in due course.

Reality+ helps worldwide brands transition to Web3 with bespoke product, community and development strategies, backed by an award-winning technology platform. It has previously partnered with BBC Studios to develop the Doctor Who: Worlds Apart digital trading card game.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with profits (EBITDA) of £226 million on sales of £1.6bn (21/22). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents, with three-quarters of its revenues from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix.  Around 2,400 hours of award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com, BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, has 139 million unique browser visits each month. www.bbcstudios.com

About Reality+

Reality+ helps worldwide brands transition to Web3 with bespoke product, community and development strategies backed by an award-winning technology platform. From metaverse integration to generative collectibles, video games and beyond, Reality+ are pioneers in the space and leading the conversation in the blockchain industry. Reality+ utilizes cutting-edge technology to bring some of the world’s leading brands like BBC Studios and ITV Studios into web3 and the metaverse with sustainability, creativity, and utility at the forefront. We work with partners around the world to help them not only build Web3 applications and campaigns but become true leaders and innovators in the digital economy of the future. realityplus.com

About The Sandbox

The Sandbox, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is one of the decentralized virtual worlds that has been fueling the recent growth of virtual real estate demand, having partnered with major IPs and brands including Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, The Rabbids, Gucci Vault, The Walking Dead, Snoop Dogg, Adidas, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, Richie Hawtin, The Smurfs, Care Bears, Atari, ZEPETO, CryptoKitties, and more. Building on existing The Sandbox IP that has more than 40 million global installs on mobile, The Sandbox metaverse offers players and creators a decentralized and intuitive platform to create immersive 3D worlds and game experiences and to safely store, trade, and monetize their creations. For more information, please visit www.sandbox.game and follow the regular updates on Twitter, Medium, and Discord.