the-matrix-online posts

Last Friday, Sony Online shut down the servers for The Matrix Online, a failed attempt at making the sci-fi movie trilogy into a successful MMO sequel. Our sister site Massively went into The Matrix one more time to see what the game's developers did on its last day.

As you can see from the above screenshot the skies in the game's city location got really weird looking as it turned into human eyes staring down. Lots of people gathered at the game's popular bar to chat and use some of the special effects that the development team allowed players to access in the game's final days. And what happened at the very end before the servers were shut down? Well, let's say that if you know the movie trilogy you might have a clue . . .

If you want see The Matrix for yourself you don't have too much time. As we reported a few weeks ago, Sony Online is planning to cut the power to the machines (the server machines that is) for their movie based MMO The Matrix Online after Friday, July 31.

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.

The poor economy may not be as bad as it was just a few months ago but layoffs are still continuing in the game industry. Our sister site Massively has just gotten word from Sony Online Entertainment that they are planning to lay off 41 of their team members, or about 5 percent of the company's total workforce.

Sony Online is not commenting on what specific positions are being affected. Sony has development studios in several locations including San Diego, Seattle, Denver and Austin. Earlier this year they announced that they were shutting down support for The Matrix Online after July 31. Sony Online recently launched the free-to-play MMO Free Realms and has two announced games in development, The Agency and DC Universe Online.

A long running movie-based MMO is about to take the red pill and enter the real world of oblivion. Sony Online Entertainment has announced that The Matrix Online will shut down its servers on July 31. Originally developed by Monolith and published by Sega in March 2005, the game transitioned to Sony Online's Seattle offices just a few months after its launch.

In a note on the game's message boards, it was announced that Matrix Online players will not be billed again for playing the game after June 1 and players who have multi-month subscriptions or paid for their play time with game cards will have refund checks mailed out to them. Developers are promising, however, that the game will end with a big in-game event.

It's not exactly a shock that some MMO games will be holding special Halloween themed events this month but Sony Online Entertainment decided to go all out and have almost all of their MMO titles have some kind of Halloween related event (Planetside seems to be the only game in Sony Online's line up to not be participating).

A couple of examples; Star Wars Galaxies will be holding something called the Galactic Moon Festival from now until Nov. 7 that will have "Sith-o-lanterns" (hehe) among the spooky stuff around the Galactic Empire. The Matrix Online will have events that will allow players to fight off zombies and risk getting infected. The collectible card game Legends of Norrath will also have a special Halloween senario this month. So if you are too old for trick-or-treating, at least you can stay at home and trick a lot of other folks online.

Ready to geek out with fellow EverQuest II, Vanguard, and Star Wars: Galaxies players? Sony has announced that registration for their sixth annual Sony Online Entertainment Fan Faire has begun.

The SOE Fan Faire will run from August 14 through August 17 at the Las Vegas Hilton. Tickets are $89 per person and come with a number of perks. Besides the chance to meet fellow SOE gamers, all ticket buyers receive the chance to participate in a number of betas, including Free Realms and the next EverQuest II expansion. Fun festivities such as a costume party, Grand Banquet, sneak previews of upcoming games, and a kickoff reception await attendees.

For Guilds of ten or more members, make sure to pre-register the All-Access pass online: Sony will grant a 50 percent price reduction for doing so.