Oculus reveals first glimpse at the VR TARDIS you’ll pilot in Doctor Who: The Edge of Time

Oculus has pulled back the covers on the TARDIS that will appear in the feature-length VR game Doctor Who: The Edge of Time, which is being created by Maze Theory, under license from BBC Studios. 

This first glimpse comes ahead of a fully playable version of the game which will be on show at San Diego Comic-Con, where visitors to the BBC America booth 

Looking at the TARDIS, it’s clear to see the attention to detail that has come out of the collaboration with BBC Studios, who produce the popular science fiction show. The developers at Maze Theory even visited the Doctor Who set, where they were able to get unprecedented access to the TARDIS prop, which they promptly celebrated by taking hundreds of photographs, using photogrammetry to create what the press release describes as “a hyper-accurate digital reference of the iconic spaceship.” 

It supposedly took some 1200 hours to put the TARDIS together, with 3D artists, designers, sound engineers and programmers working together. The end result is a virtual reality rendition that behaves exactly as it does on screen, even down to the Custard Cream dispenser added in Season 11, letting players pelt themselves with virtual Custard Cream biscuits if they stomp on the requisite pedal. 

Maze Theory’s Creative Director Marcus Moresby said: “The TARDIS is a very important and hugely iconic element of the show and Doctor Who: The Edge of Time offers the chance to experience it like never before. It’s been a huge undertaking to deliver the very best TARDIS experience and is much anticipated by fans of the show. We know they’re going to love it.”

The game releases in September 2019 and will be playable for “all high-end VR devices”, a somewhat hazy definition should include most of the devices that plug into your PC, in addition to the Oculus Quest, which is mentioned by name.