With an already strong roster to do battle with in MultiVersus, the addition of The Matrix’s legendary villain Agent Smith is one of the biggest dubs that the new PS5 and Xbox fighter has going for it so far. However, while Agent Smith’s inclusion is exciting and has many wondering whether Neo will turn up, new leaks reveal that the character will be missing its most iconic aspect: Hugo Weaving’s performance.
You can’t always get top-dog Hollywood talent to free up time for new PS5 games and new Xbox games like MultiVersus, but the complete omission of Hugo Weaving’s unique line delivery does feel like a missed opportunity. Ahead of Agent Smith’s debut in the Warner Brothers-themed fighting game, The Matrix villain’s voice lines are making the rounds online, and have been collated into a handy compilation via YouTuber ‘easternunit200’.
Once you make your way through all the grunts and battle cries, you’ll find voice lines that reference the holiday season and even acknowledgments of the player’s birthday. Sadly, you won’t find any direct mentions of Keanu Reeves’ Neo, and that really, really sucks. The closest reference to Neo comes in the form of a taunt aimed at Superman, as Smith says he is “another pathetic flying man.” So, if you were hoping to hear Agent Smith utter the words “Mr. Anderson”, I’m afraid you’ll just have to rewatch the movies instead.
Currently, Agent Smith isn’t available within the multiplayer game’s roster, as Agent Smith is set to debut on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. If you’re determined to play as the living machine manifestation, then you can grind to unlock two weeks early access by powering through Rift Mode encounters. So far, in our experience, the grind isn’t very forgiving, and you’ll need to put some serious hours into the game for a slither of rewards locked to Agent Smith’s event battle pass.
With Neo noticeably absent from MultiVersus’ rousing blend of co-op game mayhem and brawler beat downs, I’m wondering if this is down to Keanu Reeves refusing Warner Brothers’ permission to use his likeness. Or, maybe we’re in for a surprise down the road. Reeves has previously spoken about rival fighters like Mortal Kombat 1, and his decision to shy away from possible John Wick or Matrix crossovers. “You know, Neo, John Wick, they’re doing their own thing […] Mortal Kombat is doing their own thing,” Reeves told Esquire in an interview in November 2021.
Hopefully, Reeves will have a change of heart, because Fortnite can’t have all the fun, can it?
In other gaming news, Fortnite just unvaulted John Wick’s awesome assault rifle with some major buffs, and Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is confirmed to arrive on Xbox Game Pass later this year.
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