Top Gear's The Stig gets unexpected gaming crossover

Players will be able to take part in off-road activities as well as destroy stuff in The Scrapyard, all while avoiding or taking out the defective clones of The Stig.

In total, there will be seven zones inspired by Top Gear's engineering challenges: The Stage, All-Terrain, Mountain, Lake, Aerial, The Scrapyard and The Clone Lab.

Some examples of challenges include reconstructing the world’s fastest tractor – The Trak-Tor – sliding down a snowy slalom in a race against a rally car and running a daring gauntlet in a scrapyard.

"This experience is a love letter to the world of Top Gear, offering a unique blend of engaging gameplay, captivating challenges, and unforgettable moments that will delight both longtime fans and newcomers alike," Reality+ CEO Tony Pearce said as part of the announcement.

The Sandbox is a free-to-play metaverse platform that was founded in 2011. It was formerly known as Pixowl before being acquired in 2018 by Hong Kong software firm Animoca Brands, which typically focuses on blockchain gaming and NFTs.

Alongside the Top Gear brand, the likes of Gucci, Ubisoft, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dogg, Warner Bros Music Group and Attack on Titan have all partnered with the platform.

"The Stigverse has been designed to offer the millions of fans of the show a thrilling and immersive experience like never before," The Sandbox co-founder and COO Sébastien Borget added.

"By reimagining iconic moments and engineering challenges from the show, players will be able to engage with Top Gear in new and interactive ways, bringing the adrenaline and excitement of the series into the virtual world.

"This collaboration further highlights The Sandbox as a destination for creative entertainment and fan engagement, combining the power of gaming and culture."

More details can be found on the official Stigverse website.

A trailer showcasing what's in store can be seen below:

It's an interesting direction for BBC Studios to take the Top Gear brand in, in light of the show being taken off air for the "foreseeable future" back in November 2023.

More recently, the former Top Gear boss Andy Wilman admitted that he couldn't see it being brought back after its host Freddie Flintoff was involved in a serious car crash.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that another former Top Gear host, James May, has lost his show, Our Man in…, after it was cancelled by Amazon Prime. The three seasons saw May visit Italy, India and Japan.

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