Kaigan Games, the Malaysian game studio that brought you Simulacra and Sara is Missing is partnering with Maze Theory to develop two titles for the Doctor Who franchise. One of the games in development will be earmarked for consoles – PS4, Xbox, Switch and PC. While the other is described as a “horror/sci-fi mobile phone takeover game”. Which plays directly into Kaigan Games’ wheelhouse.

These two upcoming games are said to form a ‘trilogy of experiences’. When you include the earlier released Doctor Who VR experience Edge of Time. If you never picked up that title, the story revolves around a ‘reality virus’. The Doctor herself, voiced by Jodie Whittaker is trapped on the edge of time and it’s up to you to help her.

Edge of Time launched to mixed reviews but has proven itself successful enough to warrant two other Doctor Who games. Considering that they call it a trilogy I’m expecting that the stories for each of the game trilogy to be interrelated in some way. Maybe around the ‘reality virus’?

We’re not sure what to expect from both games but according to Maze Theory – “Fans can expect new adventures, new game mechanics, intriguing subplots and iconic features such as the TARDIS, terrifying Weeping Angels, imposing Daleks and – of course – the chance to collude with the Doctor herself”. This probably means that we’ll be playing the part of companion rather than the Doctor herself, as we did in Edge of Time.

I think that Kaigan’s signature paranormal horror is going to fit in very well in the Doctor Who universe. If you’ve never played any of their games they’re famous for their ‘found phone’ games. In Simulacra the game basically reskins your phone into a familiar-looking OS of a mobile device. Except this isn’t your phone. It belongs to a young woman named Anna and by going through her phone you’ll be able to discover what happened to her. I expect a similar gameplay style for the Doctor Who game where we may find the Doctor’s phone and have to look for her.

BBC recently teased a major, multi-platform expansion of the Doctor Who lore-verse beginning this September with Time Lord Victorious. A new story arc to be “told across audio, novels, comics, vinyl, digital, immersive theatre, escape rooms and games”. While the two new game titles aren’t (so far) being teased as part of that spinoff. It definitely looks like Doctor Who is launching TARDIS first into the gaming universe.