He designed a cult video game, then its sequel… then he disappeared

In the late 1990s, a website called Where is Matthew Smith? was regularly updated with posts from gaming enthusiasts all over the world. Website visitors shared one crucial mission: trying to piece together what had happened to this elusive games programmer. Of course, for non-gamers, the more pressing question would have probably been, “Who is Matthew Smith?”, since he’s hardly a household name. 

Matthew was a teenage prodigy when he rose to prominence in the early 80s, as Liverpool experienced a burst of creativity not seen in the city since the heady days of Merseybeat. This time, jangling guitars were replaced by blips and beeps as the software scene began its ascendence; instead of the dank Cavern, the main players on the scene plied their trade in air-conditioned offices, a stone’s throw away from the River Mersey. A 1984 Sinclair User article went so far as to describe Liverpool as “a sort of Silicon Valley of Software projects”.

In the early 80s, many teenagers found themselves going straight from school to the dole queue. There were no easy solutions, but some of them sought an escape in the burgeoning world of computer games. In 1982, the Sinclair ZX-Spectrum was released — Scouse kids who once had to visit the arcades of nearby seaside towns to get their pixelated thrills could now play from the comfort of their own home. This, and earlier machines like the TRS-80, allowed users to not only play games but also to program their own. Chris Cannon, now a professional tour guide operating as Hidden Liverpool, belonged to a group of like-minded computer enthusiasts that spent time hanging around the Tandy Shop on Lord Street. It was here that Chris, 56, first got to know Wallasey resident, Matthew.

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