We might have a while to wait before we see new episodes of Doctor Who, but in the meantime, the BBC is serving up “The Runaway,” which is described as a 13-minute interactive VR story.
Directed by Passion Animation Studios and the BBC’s VR hub, this brings together Jodie Whittaker on voice duties and series composer Segun Akinola providing new original music. The conceit for the film is that you’ve been in a mysterious collision and wake up inside the TARDIS. The Doctor introduces you to the mysterious energy being you’ve collided with, and you must team up with her to ensure that he’s returned to his home planet before some very bad things happen (probably involving the destruction of the fabric of space and time).
Now, we’ve got a new trailer that gives us our best look yet at what the experience will be like. Perhaps sensibly, the team have decided not to try and create photorealistic graphics and opted for a more stylized approach, though their take on the Thirteenth Doctor is immediately recognizable.
What remains to be seen is precisely how interactive this experience will be. Right now, we don’t know which VR platforms “The Runaway” will be released on. If it’s destined for Cardboard VR, Gear VR and the like, expect minimal interactivity. Though if it ends up coming to Oculus, Vive or even PSVR with Move Controller support, I can’t wait to be pulling the levers and pressing the buttons of the TARDIS.
The BBC summed up the experience thusly:
“Fans will experience the TARDIS like never before in this thrilling new interactive story. As ever, the Doctor is full of warmth, wit and charm – helped by a wonderful performance from Jodie – which puts fans at the heart of the story as they immerse themselves in this beautifully animated world.”
No word on a release date yet, but I’d wager this Doctor Who VR experience will be out sometime over the summer.