Imagine a game based on The Matrix, directed by none other than Hideo Kojima himself. Now that would've been something, don't you think? And according to Konami's then-licensing manager Chris Bergstresser this was actually pitched to them in the late 90's by the Wachowskis. Who both were fans of Kojima and wanted him on the project.
Chris Bergstresser claims that it was one of the internal producers who firmly rejected the project after it was presented in a meeting. With the main reason for this decision apparently being that Konami felt that it was pointless to embark on a new major project, given the success of the Metal Gear series. During a recent interview Bergstresser said that:
The Wachowskis were big fans of Kojima. Kazumi Kitaue, Kojima, Aki Saito, and I were at the Konami HQ, and we got a call from the Wachowskis, who wanted to come in and meet with Kojima. So they did!
"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?' Aki translated this into Japanese for Mr. Kitaue, and Kitaue just looked at them and told them plainly, 'No'. We did still get to enjoy the Matrix Japanese premiere and afterparty, though.
Instead we ended up with Enter the Matrix, without any involvement from Kojima or Konami. And the less said (and remembered) about that game, the better.