Power Button Podcast
Tip JarThe Matrix Deloaded
July 31, 2009
Way back in March 2005 I held up The Matrix Online as an example of an online community that may one day dry up and blow away, and sure enough, that day is today. After passing through several owners over the years, the MMORPG based on The Matrix films is coming to an end today, after which the servers are shut off and all of the prospective Neos out there vanish into the ether. Say it ain't so, Big Download!
A post on the soon-to-be-shut-down message boards for the game states that if you have an old Matrix Online account in good standing (i.e. you don't owe Sony Online any money on it) you can log into the game and play for free until the shutdown occurs sometime on Friday. So you only have a little more time to learn kung-fu.
It's always sad to see an online community die, particularly when it dies for economical reasons as opposed to player disinterest. Of course, if there had been an interest in The Matrix Online, it would still be with us after today. As I said four years ago, an empty world is a lonely place. Even if you do know kung-fu.