The concept of "Wipeout" was first discussed during a pub conversation, when a Psygnosis staff member, Jim Bowers, envisioned an idea of creating a futuristic racing game which featured anti-gravity ships. Some elements of the game were inspired by "Matrix Marauders", an Amiga game released by the Liverpudlian studio in 1990. A beta version of "Wipeout" appeared in the cult film "Hackers", in which the game was being played by the protagonists in a nightclub. The game's appearance in the film led to Sony purchasing the studio in the following months after its release.