Diving into a virtual time vault

Client

Reach PLC

Sector

Entertainment, Media and Leisure

Tech

Virtual Reality (VR)

Unlocking decades of history through an immersive VR archive

Reach PLC, the UK’s largest commercial publisher, wanted to showcase its vast archive in a more engaging way. We created Time Vault – a VR experience that lets users travel through different decades, solving puzzles to unlock articles, videos and cultural artefacts. Designed for Steam VR and Oculus, it combines nostalgia with interactivity to bring history vividly to life.

The challenge

Reach PLC publishes titles ranging from the Daily Mirror and Daily Express to the Manchester Evening News and Bristol Post. With such an extensive archive, the challenge was how to present this wealth of history in a way that was interactive, accessible and appealing to modern audiences. Rather than simply digitising articles, Reach wanted a format that invited users to actively engage with past events and culture. The solution needed to be immersive enough to inspire curiosity, while structured around clear tasks and rewards that would keep audiences motivated to explore further into the archive.

The process

We designed Time Vault as a time-travelling VR journey. Starting in a central lobby, users enter different decades through a vault door, unlocking more as they complete challenges. Tasks and guidance are accessible through a palm-up menu, keeping interaction simple. Each completed decade unlocks display case objects, gradually filling the gallery with history. In phase one, we built zones for the 1950s and 1980s, each styled with authentic furniture, gadgets and colour schemes. Puzzles based on vintage radios, VHS players, magazines and news articles immersed users in the events of each era, blending fun gameplay with cultural discovery.

The outcome

The Time Vault experience delivered a new way for Reach PLC to showcase its archives. Users could explore decades of history not as passive readers, but as active participants solving puzzles and uncovering content. Styled with nostalgia and rooted in real events, the VR journey offered both entertainment and education, highlighting the richness of Reach’s heritage. Designed for distribution via Steam VR and the Oculus Store, the project extended the publisher’s reach to new digital audiences.