2003’s classic The Simpsons: Hit & Run not only struck a chord with fans of the long-running animated sitcom but for those looking for a GTA-aping experience that didn’t take itself too seriously.
18 years after it was released on PS2, Xbox, GameCube and PC, there’s still a loyal fanbase for the open-world game, including our very own Rich Hutson.
Now, current The Simpsons co-showrunner Matt Selman has spoken to Kat Bailey at IGN about the game and the chances for a follow-up. The interview is largely about the TV show and looking ahead to the 33rd (wow) season, but there are some tidbits for Hit & Run fans.
“We were all playing Grand Theft Auto at the time and publisher… they just wanted another driving game. And we were like, everyone’s playing whatever version of Grand Theft Auto, people need to get out of the cars,” explained Selman, of that game that was released two years after the trend-setting Grand Theft Auto III.
“I would love to see a remastered version of [The Simpsons: Hit & Run], I would,” he explained.
“It’s a complicated corporate octopus to try to make that happen.”
Does that mean it will happen any time soon? No. But those who make The Simpsons share the fondness and if they are on the fan’s side, and more people start talking about the game, you never know.
Hit & Run was developed by the now-defunct Radical Entertainment, a subsidiary of Vivendi Games based in Canada. In 2008, Vivendi merged with Activision, creating the gaming giant Activision Blizzard. In the meantime, The Simpsons was owned by 21st Century Fox, which is now called 20th Century Studios after its purchase by Disney in 2019. It’s, complicated, sadly…
Still, while we patiently wait for someone in the mega-corps to a) care about The Simpsons video games enough and b) make a business case for a remaster or a follow-up, you can watch our video of the 10 best street races in the game. Go on, it’ll make your day.
