TITLE
An oral history of The Matrix video games and their bonkers alternate ending
AUTHOR
Alex Kane
PUBLICATION
Polygon
YEAR
2021
ARTICLE TYPE
Interview
FROM THE ARTICLE
The first, Enter the Matrix, released on May 14, 2003, alongside the Wachowskis’ blockbuster sequel, The Matrix Reloaded. The game centered on Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Ghost (Anthony Wong), two characters from the film’s supporting cast, and it included loads of live-action footage not found in the movie.When it came time to deliver a second game in 2005, the Matrix trilogy had come and gone, and the Wachowskis’ approach to the material began to change. The Enter the Matrix sequel would give fans the chance to play as Keanu Reeves’s prophesied hero — the one called Neo. But the visionary filmmakers wanted to take things a step further. This wouldn’t be a straightforward adaptation of the movies; the Wachowskis saw Path of Neo as a chance to give their story an alternative ending.
They wanted Neo to live, and they wanted to speak to their audience. Path of Neo would be a triumphant retelling of its hero’s story, tailored for folks who played games. The Wachowskis would appear on screen as a pair of 8-bit monochrome sprites, the player would battle a colossal monster called MegaSmith, and humanity would cheer their savior while Queen’s “We Are the Champions” played. It was the kind of delightfully absurd catharsis the team at Shiny Entertainment could appreciate, too.
Amid the hype for The Matrix Resurrections, the fourth film in the series, I spoke to five of the people who made the Wachowskis’ wild alternate ending a reality.
COMPANIES MENTIONED
Shiny Entertainment
GAMES MENTIONED
Enter the Matrix
The Matrix: Path of Neo
PEOPLE MENTIONED
Chandana Ekanayake [Eka]
W.D. Hogan
David Perry
Saxs Persson
Gabriel Rountree