ITV Studios takes Thunderbirds into The Sandbox metaverse
March 13, 2023
An unmissable Tracy Island Sandbox Metaverse Experience has launched as part of Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club, the exciting Web3 reimagining of the classic TV show’s unique style by ITV Studios and Reality+.
The special, time-limited Tracy Island event in The Sandbox Metaverse will run for two weeks from March 13th and give fans the opportunity to join forces with their favourite Thunderbirds characters to take on quests in and around the famous top secret International Rescue HQ.
The Tracy Island Sandbox Experience consists of 15 quests and mini-games with a plethora of Easter eggs and information about the original TV series. Leveraging the benefits of Web3, fans can also browse the various digital collectibles, including a huge gallery take over in the Thunderbird 2 hangar, and a special voxel exhibition curated by Lady Penelope herself.
As part of the game’s play-to-earn mechanic players will have the chance to win a slice of The Sandbox’s monthly prize pool fund (1,150,000 SAND, The Sandbox Experience currency, equivalent to £500,000), plus mystery gifts.
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 the Ethereum blockchain.
Thunderbirds is an iconic and much-loved British TV show, first broadcast in 1965, following the exploits of the Tracy family and their International Rescue service. The show was created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and is famous for its innovative use of marionette puppetry, or ‘Supermarionation’.
Reality+ helps worldwide brands transition to Web3 with bespoke product, community and development strategies, backed by an award-winning technology platform.
ITV Studios initially partnered with Reality+ in September to launch the first interaction of Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club, a premium, utility-focused Web3 experience that enabled fans to buy and trade officially licensed NFT digital artworks based on the classic TV show.
Owners of the NFT artworks were granted access to their own unique avatar for use in The Sandbox and now as part of the Tracy Island Sandbox Experience, which launches after a special month-long F.A.B.RUARY celebration of everything Thunderbirds, including new digital artworks reimagining iconic Thunderbirds characters vehicles.
The Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club community also became real life heroes when they generated over £15,000 to support the Dobrich Dog Rescue, as part of a real life rescue mission.
Going forward, ITV Studios and Reality+ will continue to develop and launch new features as part of the Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club, including community co-creation projects and interoperability of Thunderbirds NFTs with other partners.
Sustainability is central to the Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club philosophy, with The Sandbox partnered with Offsetra and Nori on carbon offsetting, plus WeForest to help reforestation efforts across the globe.
Reality+ Co-Founder Tony Pearce said: “It’s a tremendous honour to be working with ITV Studios, not only to help them push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of Web3 entertainment, but for the opportunity to take such an iconic TV show on an exciting new journey with its fans. We have already achieved so much with Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club, and with fantastic partners like The Sandbox there’s much more to come.”
Lucie Stoffers, Head of Brand & Licensing Global Entertainment, ITV Studios, said: “We are super excited to work with Reality+ and The Sandbox team to take the next step in our partnership and bring Thunderbirds to The Sandbox. This will allow Thunderbirds fans from around the world to discover Tracy Island and complete new Rescue Missions, as well as get access to a bespoke NFT collection.”
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Thunderbirds F.A.B Facts
5. Thunderbirds is a British science fiction television series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, that first aired in the UK and globally between 1964 and 1966
4. The show follows the exploits of International Rescue, a life-saving organisation equipped with technologically advanced rescue craft (Thunderbirds), launched from a secret base on Tracy Island.
3. Gerry Anderson drew inspiration for the underlying Thunderbirds concept from a West German mining disaster known as the Wunder von Lengede (“Miracle of Lengede”).
2. Thunderbirds was filmed using a form of electronic marionette puppetry (dubbed ‘Supermarionation’), combined with amazing scale model special effects sequences.
1. In 2007, Thunderbirds came 19th in a Radio Times poll for the best science fiction TV programme of all time, and in 2013 it was ranked fourth in the Channel 5 list show 50 Greatest Kids’ TV Shows.