BBC Earth: Life in VR – California Coast, the groundbreaking VR experience created by PRELOADED and BBC Studios has won a prestigious Google Play Award.

At the third annual awards recognising the best experiences in apps and games, our immersive exploration of an incredible underwater world edged out four fellow finalists to win the ‘Best AR or VR Experience’ category.

Inspired by the BBC’s hugely popular Blue Planet II series, BBC Earth: Life in VR takes players closer to the ocean’s rich and diverse ecosystems in an interactive experience full of VR-only moments.

“A humbling, incredible achievement”

The Google Play Award honours apps or games offering highly engaging and immersive experiences with optimal use of ARCore or Daydream UI technology. BBC Earth: Life in VR has received the maximum rating of five stars from every Android user to have reviewed it on Google Play since its release in February 2018.

“The Google Play Store is full of amazing experiences and for Life in VR to be considered the best in VR/AR is very humbling,” says Phil Stuart, PRELOADED’s founder and Creative Director.

“The ambition for Life in VR was huge and really pushed at the edges of what is considered possible in Mobile VR. For Google to recognise this achievement is incredible.”

Congratulating this year’s victors, Purnima Kochikar, Google Play’s Director of Apps and Games, said the winners had provided “delightful experiences to fans” and “larger positive impacts in their communities.”

BBC Earth: Life In VR is available as a free downloadable app from Google Play.

Read the full list of 2018 Google Play Awards winners.