Konami Exec Shut Down Kojima Making a Matrix Game Because MGS2 Was More Important (Apparently)

Just file this under "Painful 'What Ifs' in Gaming History." Turns out, we were apparently this close to getting a Hideo Kojima-directed Matrix game back in the day. Until, you know, corporate suits did what corporate suits do.

Alright, picture this: it's 1999. The Matrix just blew everyone's minds. Naturally, the video game rumour mill starts churning. And whose name pops up as a potential developer? None other than Hideo Kojima and his Metal Gear Solid team.

For years, it was just speculation. We knew the Wachowskis were fans of Kojima, and Kojima saw similarities between The Matrix trailer and his plans for MGS2 (like wall-running). But now, thanks to the folks at Time Extension talking to a former Konami VP, we have the story.

The Meeting of Minds

Christopher Bergstresser, former VP of licensing at Konami Digital Entertainment, spilled the beans. According to him, the Wachowskis were indeed "big fans of Kojima".

So, they apparently called up Konami HQ and arranged a meeting with Kojima, Bergstresser, Kojima's translator Aki Saito, and Konami higher-up Kazumi Kitaue. The Wachowskis showed up with their concept artist (Geoff Darrow, according to Kojima's diary) and basically laid it out: "We really want you to do the Matrix game. Can you do that?".

...And the Corporate Cockblock

Aki Saito translated the offer for Mr. Kitaue. Kitaue's response? According to Bergstresser, he "just looked at them and told them plainly, ‘No’".

Just... "No." Brutal. Bergstresser did add, "We did still get to enjoy the Matrix Japanese premiere and afterparty, though". So, silver linings, I guess?

Why the Rejection? (Probably MGS2)

The timeline makes sense, unfortunately. This meeting likely happened in August 1999. At that exact time, Kojima and his team were deep in prep for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Kitaue probably didn't want his star director getting distracted by a big, licensed Hollywood project when the sequel to their biggest hit was just getting started.

Still, it stings. Kojima almost never works on licensed games. Seeing his take on The Matrix universe could have been incredible. Instead, we got the... functional, but ultimately forgettable, games from Shiny Entertainment.

A Slight Twist?

Interestingly, Time Extension also spoke to another anonymous former Konami employee who suggested Bergstresser's account might not be the whole story. This source claimed Kojima actually continued to "show strong interest" even after Kitaue's "No," and that there was "immense disappointment" on the team that the collaboration fell through.

So maybe Kojima did want it, but the corporate leash was just too tight. Classic Konami. What could have been, huh?

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