Fans of the classic video game The Simpsons: Hit and Run, released in 2003, have been hoping for years for a new version or remaster on modern platforms, but it never came to fruition. As part of the D23 event, a surprising and promising announcement now comes directly from the source. Series creator Matt Groening hinted during a Q&A session on stage that the GTA-inspired open world game may be making a comeback. Current showrunner Matt Selman’s subsequent reaction strongly suggested that Groening prematurely revealed an unannounced project.
During a Simpsons panel, a fan in the audience asked if a successor or new version of Hit and Run could also be imagined following the announcement of a second film. Showrunner Matt Selman initially responded cautiously, saying it would be a great thing.
Matt Groening then spoke unprompted and said verbatim that while he didn’t know if he was giving away too much, he believed the original game would return in some form. Selman immediately grabbed the microphone and chimed in with a laugh, “or not,” immediately invalidating the statement.
Sudden setbacks and a questionable avoidance of old game development anecdotes leave viewers in disbelief. To many fans and industry insiders, the exchange seemed like a typical accidental leak of a project that was already underway behind the scenes.
No formal announcement has been made by the publisher or license holder. Since original games from the PlayStation 2 era are not currently officially available on any modern consoles or digital distribution platforms, the gaming community is now keeping a close eye on remakes, remasters, or re-releases for current systems.
