Hideo Kojima supposedly had "strong interest" in making a Matrix game adaptation after the Wachowskis asked him to, but Konami said "no"

Hideo Kojima reportedly had a "strong interest" in making a Matrix game after being pitched on the idea by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, but Konami wasn't as keen.

Time Extension interviewed former vice president of licensing at Konami Digital Entertainment, Christopher Bergstresser, about a report from NextGen magazine that Hideo Kojima's team at Konami was a forerunner in developing a game based on The Matrix. Bergstresser recalled that "The Wachowskis were big fans of Kojima" and that "we got a call from the Wachowskis, who wanted to come in and meet with Kojima. So they did!"

The meeting consisted of Bergstresser, Kojima, Aki Saito (current head of communications at Kojima Productions), and the former CEO of Konami Digital Entertainment, Kazumi Kitaue. Bergstresser recalls, "The two of them came in with their concept artist, and effectively they said to Kojima, 'We really want you to do the Matrix game. Can you do that?'"

However, after Saito translated the request for Kitaue, he allegedly "just looked at them and told them plainly, 'no.'" Although it wasn't all bad, as "We did still get to enjoy the Matrix Japanese premiere and afterparty, though."

However, Time Extension also spoke to an anonymous former Konami employee who claims Kojima would continue to "show strong interest" in making the game after the meeting and that there was "immense disappointment" among members of his team. We've reached out to Konami for comment for clarification on these accounts, and will update if we get a response.

Development on Metal Gear Solid 2 had already started by the time The Matrix was released, according to the game's design document, which states it would begin "full-scale development" by June 1999. Not to mention, Kojima was also in the producer's chair for Zone of the Enders, which – like Metal Gear Solid 2 – was released in 2001. Given that MGS2 is probably one of the most anticipated sequels ever, I suppose it's not a surprise Konami would want Kojima focused on that (and frankly, I'm glad it happened like it did given MGS 2 and 3 are two of the best games ever made).

One Japanese school is using Hideo Kojima's unfinished Silent Hill game PT to teach students English, and it sounds like a great way to memorize the words "murder his entire family."