In the early 2000s, few other major sci-fi action franchises were as popular asThe Matrix. With the 1999 film a breakout blockbuster success, and its two sequels in 2003 also proving to be big hits, the series made its mark in Hollywood and entertainment as a whole. This success rippled into other avenues, primarily the video game market. The series had two early video game releases inEnter the MatrixandThe Matrix: Path of Neo, but the Wachowski twins had something even more ambitious planned withThe Matrix Online.First hitting shelves in 2005, two years after the original trilogy wrapped up,The Matrix Onlinewasn’t a standard movie tie-in game. Just like the aforementioned games,The Matrix Onlinewas a project directly overseen by the Wachowskis in order to ensure a high level of quality that stayed true to their vision of the franchise. Developed by Monolith Productions, the same team that would go on to makeMiddle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor, this title has its place in history as a significant addition toThe Matrixfranchise.RELATED:Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Appears To Reveal He Will Play Morpheus In The Matrix Resurrections
The Matrix Online - An Ambitious MMO Experience
Video game tie-ins with major blockbuster releases were common in the 2000s. While some of these titles are fondly remembered, such asSpider-Man 2and games based onThe Lord of the Rings, for the most part these licensed products were considered lazy and rushed.The Wachowskiswanted to avoid the same fate with video games based on their franchise, and being avid gamers themselves chose to step into the director’s chair for everything based onThe Matrix, includingThe Matrix Online.
Following in the footsteps of the hugely successfulWorld of Warcraft, which launched just the year prior,The MatrixOnlineaimed to be a huge MMORPG experience. The goal was to have players continue the story ofThe Matrix, creating their own teams, upgrading moves, and battling any Agents they come across. Players are able to customize their character, from a variety of different classes and cosmetic choices. From here, they are dropped into a massive city environment to complete missions and interact with other players. Considering the premise of the films is about characters “jacking in” to a digital world to pull off fantastical feats, it is almost fitting thatThe Matrix Onlineattempted to pull off the same concept.
The Matrix Online - Connection to the Films
Another intestesting aspect aboutThe MatrixOnlinewas how it directly linked to the film series. Major characters such as Morpheus and Seraph appear in the game’s world, referencing events from the films and interacting with the player. This was such a critical point about the game’s design that it was used as a selling point. The idea of “continuing the story” fromThe Matrixfilm franchisewas slapped onto any promotional material in an attempt to attract fans and gamers alike who wanted to go deeper into the rabbit hole.
WhileThe Matrix Onlinehad a successful reception, and a healthy abundance of players in its prime, it did not last forever. In August 2009, the servers forThe Matrix Onlinewere shut down with roughly under 500 players online during its final days. The game attracted fans eager to live out fantasies within the world created by the Wachowskis, and even got the writing talents of comic book writers like Paul Chadwick to contribute to the overall mission structure.The Matrix Onlinehad its place in the MMORPG market, but as Agent Smith said in the films: “Everything that has a beginning, has an end.” This massively ambitious title would be shelved and left as a memory in the minds the most dedicated fans, who may be rewarded for that knowledge whenThe Matrix 4releases.
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