When the Wachowskis Met Kojima: A Dream Deferred
Once upon a time in a universe not so far away, a monumental collision was on the horizon. It involved two iconic forces: the visionary minds of the Wachowskis and the legendary game-making wizard, Hideo Kojima. The plan? A game based on that little indie flick called The Matrix. Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen.
According to former Konami licensing overlord Christopher Bergstresser, the hopes of gamers everywhere were dashed faster than a bullet-dodging Neo. Imagine the anticipation of a Matrix game under the hands of Kojima! But alas, it was smothered in its crib with a resounding “No” from Konami executive Kazumi Kitaue. Talk about a cinematic plot twist!
The Meeting of the Minds… Sort Of
In what can only be described as a situation worthy of a sitcom, the Wachowskis, who counted Kojima amongst their fans, expressed a desire to rendezvous with him for the Japanese premiere of their film. The stars were aligning—or so they thought.
Bergstresser candidly recalled the fateful day: “Picture this: Kojima, Kitaue, a translator, and me, sipping on some tea, when the Wachowskis called in.” Their mission was clear: they wanted Kojima to work his magic on a Matrix game. Simple, right? Wrong. After a brief exchange, which probably felt like an eternity in translation time, Kitaue’s response hit the room like a falling building: “No.” Cue the dramatic music.
So, what happened next? The crew shrugged it off with all the grace of ballerinas after tripping in unison and went on to enjoy the premiere and afterparty. Nothing like a solid rejection followed by some popcorn and Matrix moves!
Enter the Matrix: The Uninvited Game
Instead of getting Kojima’s groundbreaking vision, the world received *Enter the Matrix*, developed by Shiny Entertainment. Yes, the same folks who brought the world Earthworm Jim and MDK. Released in 2003, it achieved the phenomenal feat of selling 5 million copies within a year! But on the critical front? Let’s just say “underwhelming” became everyone’s favorite buzzword.
The game offered over an hour of original footage penned and directed by none other than the Wachowskis. Sounds impressive, right? If only the gameplay matched the cinematic flair, players wouldn’t be swapping horror stories about the experience like it was a campfire ghost story.
The Matrix Gaming Timeline: A Rocky Road
But the saga didn’t end there. In a brief attempt to maintain relevance in the gaming world, the 2005 PC game *The Matrix Online* crashed and burned faster than a phone battery at 1 am. Later that year, Shiny made a return to the Matrix universe with *The Matrix: Path of Neo*. This title had the audacity to recreate key film moments—and although it was a tad better received, the “fizz” of hype had long fizzled out.
Fast forward to today, and the Matrix gaming universe remains in a state of limbo. Sure, there were cameos in games like MultiVersus, but when it comes to full-fledged Matrix games, silence reigns supreme. It’s almost poetic—like Neo’s epic battles, only without the actual battles!
In 2021, Epic Games bravely (or perhaps foolishly) dared to uplift the spirits of the fans with *The Matrix Awakens*, a tech demo showcasing Unreal Engine 5’s artistry. Just enough to remind everyone of what could have been, and left players wondering: what if?
So, here’s to the cinematic dream of a Kojima-led Matrix game—forever a brilliant concept, cherished but ultimately, a giant “what if” that haunts gamers as persistently as a glitch in a poorly coded game.
