Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 “The Matrix Awakens” Tech Demo makes us question what is real

Is Keanu real of fake in Epic Games’ “The Matrix Awakens” Tech Demo teaser?

Epic Games is telling us to “Get ready for a glimpse into the future of interactive storytelling and entertainment”, as their “The Matrix Awakens” experience is going to make us question what is real; assuming you have an Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or PS5.

Using Unreal Engine 5, Epic Games plans to release an experience on December 9th that is part tech demo and part advertisement. It will give gamers a glimpse into the universe of “The Matrix”, showcasing the power of Unreal Engine 5 while advertising The Matrix Resurrections in the process.

In Epic’s trailer for their “The Matrix Awakens” experience, Keanu Reeves asks us a simple question “How do we know what is real?” In doing so, this has prompted a debate about whether Keanu is real or fake in the trailer. That said, Keanu’s in-trailer representation is almost certainly rendered using Unreal Engine 5. It would be a poor advertisement for Unreal Engine 5 otherwise.

What this trailer has us questioning isn’t just if Keanu himself is a CGI character. We are also wondering if other aspects if his voice is real or fake. Is this the real voice of Keanu, or does Epic Games have the technology to emulate a real person’s voice? Our question isn’t if the Keanu in this trailer is real, our question is how much of it is fake. 

No PC version for you!

Sadly, The Matrix Awakens is not available to PC gamers, and there is a simple reason why; control. Poor drivers, sub-standard hardware and numerous other reasons could make Epic’s demo perform poorly on PC, and modders could potentially wreak havoc using the experience’s files. Simply put, making The Matrix Awakens a console-only experience simplifies things significantly.

Below is what Epic Games has to say about their The Matrix Awakens experience on the Microsoft Store.

     Get ready for a glimpse into the future of interactive storytelling and entertainment with UE5 in this free, boundary-pushing cinematic and real-time tech demo.

Created by members of the original movie team including Lana Wachowski along with Epic Games and partners, ‘The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience’ is a wild ride into the reality-bending universe of ‘The Matrix’ that features performances by Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss.

Want to see what’s possible when you combine the power of Unreal Engine 5 with the Xbox Series X/S? Step into the world of one of the most iconic action franchises ever made. Pre-download ‘The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience’ now.

Stay tuned for The Game Awards on December 9, when the experience will be revealed

See more at 2021’s The Game Awards

Fans of The Matrix can expect to see more of Epic Games’ The Matrix Awakens tech demo at 2021’s The Game Awards, which will be hosted on December 9th. There we can expect to see more from Unreal Engine 5 and a variety of new game reveals.

You can join the discussion on Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 “The Matrix Awakens” tech demo on the OC3D Forums.