Konami Once Turned Down a Matrix Game From Hideo Kojima

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Man, when The Matrix came out in ’99, it was insane! I remember hearing that Hideo Kojima actually wanted to make a game based on it, but Konami said no. That movie totally changed action films – especially with that awesome ‘bullet time’ effect. I thought it begged to be a video game! But Konami turned down the license pretty quickly after it came out in the US, and even before it was released in Japan. It’s kinda weird, because eventually some Matrix games did get made, but Konami and Kojima weren’t part of them. A missed opportunity, if you ask me!

According to the book Time Extension, the Wachowskis (directors of The Matrix) contacted Hideo Kojima in late 1999 about creating a video game based on their film. Rumors suggested Kojima was interested, as the filmmakers were big fans of his work, particularly Metal Gear Solid, and believed he’d be ideal for the project. This potential collaboration happened before Shiny Entertainment developed Enter the Matrix (2003) and The Path of Neo (2005). Christopher Bergstresser, a former VP at Konami, revealed that Konami’s CEO, Kasumi Kitaue, listened to the Wachowskis’ pitch but ultimately rejected the idea.

Hideo Kojima Was Prohibited From Developing a Matrix Video Game by His Bosses At Konami

Kitaue had a valid reason for turning down the Wachowskis. Hideo Kojima had successfully revitalized the Metal Gear series with Metal Gear Solid in 1998. Konami, possessing a highly skilled team, didn’t want to overwhelm Kojima and his staff. They were already hard at work on Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, released in 2001, and planned three more Metal Gear Solid games. According to Bergstresser, the Wachowskis, who were big fans of Kojima, approached him with a concept artist and asked if he would be interested in developing a Matrix game. Kitaue simply said no.

It makes sense why Konami chose not to continue making Matrix video games, but it’s disappointing to hear that a talented game designer was prevented from working on the franchise. After the huge success of Metal Gear Solid, Konami likely worried about the financial risks of a sequel if Hideo Kojima and his team were pushed too hard. Even though Shiny Entertainment created two popular games, many believe a Matrix game designed by Kojima would have been revolutionary, and it’s a shame we never got to see his vision.

Would you have liked to see Hideo Kojima direct a game based on The Matrix? Share your thoughts and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-28 18:10