Interest
Konami Rejected Matrix Directors' Request for Game — Hideo Kojima Was Never Told
posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
Game director Hideo Kojima said through his X (formerly Twitter) account on October 29 that he was not asked or told about producing a Matrix video game in 1999. Kojima reported, “I was surprised to hear the news on social media that the Wachowski sisters had 'offered me a Matrix game project!' in 1999. In all these 26 years, no one ever told me such a conversation had taken place.”
Kojima further elaborated both he and the Wachowski sisters, who wrote and directed The Matrix film, were fans of each others' works and exchanged emails. When the Wachowski sisters were in Japan to promote the 1999 blockbuster, Kojima recalled he met the sisters three times.
In the morning, we had a Famitsu interview in Shinjuku — that time, [The Matrix concept artist] Geof Darrow joined us for the talk session. In the afternoon, they were invited to the headquarters of KONAMI's CS Division. Back then, I was Vice President of KCE JAPAN, a wholly owned subsidiary. When I arrived at the headquarters, their meeting with [Kazumi Kitaue], the head of the CS Division, had just ended. I joined them afterward, and we chatted for about an hour without an interpreter (Aki [Saitō] wasn't even there). I think John Gaeta, the visual effects supervisor, was also present.
That evening, I attended the premiere screening and party, where I also met [The Matrix producer] Joel Silver. Even then, there was no mention of an offer.
Kijima ended his post saying he was busy with Metal Gear Solid 2 and “probably couldn't have accepted the offer right away.” “But if someone had told me, maybe there could've been a way to make it work,” Kojima said.
Kojima's comments came hours after online magazine Time Extension reported that Christopher Bergstresser, former Vice President of Licensing at Konami Digital Entertainment, stated that Konami declined to make a Matrix video game.
Bergstresser said the Wachowski sisters were fans of Kojima and wanted to meet with the game director. Time Extension added that Bergstresser, Kojima, Kitaue, and interpreter Aki Saitō met with the Wachowskis. “'We really want you to do the Matrix game. Can you do that?'” Bergstresser recalled the Wachowskis saying. “Aki translated this into Japanese for Mr. Kitaue, and Kitaue just looked at them and told them plainly, 'No.'”
The first Matrix video game, Enter the Matrix, was subsequently developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Inforgrames in 2003.
Sources: Hideo Kojima's Japanese X/Twitter account, account (link 2), Hideo Kojima's English X/Twitter account, Time Extension via Hachima Kikō
