During a panel at Disney’s D23 event, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening hinted that the beloved 2003 open-world game The Simpsons: Hit & Run is making a comeback in some form. While current showrunner Matt Selman attempted to walk back the comment, the tease has amplified long-standing fan speculation fueled by original developer studio rebrandings and modding scene revivals.
Matt Groening’s D23 Slip-Up Sparked Fresh Speculation
Fans of classic video games received a surprise update regarding one of the most requested remasters in gaming history. According to Eurogamer, during The Simpsons panel at Disney’s D23 event, Matt Groening was asked if a sequel or return for the 2003 title might happen. “I don’t know [if] I’m speaking out of turn, I think the original game is coming back in some form,” Groening stated. Current showrunner Matt Selman immediately jumped in with “…or not,” trying to downplay the remark.
As reported by ScreenRant, this brief exchange follows months of rising excitement. Back in June, VCG’s Jordan Middler teased a potential remake during a podcast discussion. Meanwhile, Matt Selman also spoke about the game’s enduring legacy earlier this year while celebrating the show’s 800th episode. Reflecting on his time writing for the project in his mid-to-late twenties, Selman noted that he never expected the title to achieve cult status among thousands of other Simpsons adaptations.
A History of Unrealized Sequels and Industry Shifts
The Simpsons: Hit & Run launched in September 2003 for the PlayStation 2, published and developed by Radical Entertainment. It functioned essentially as a GTA-style sandbox game set in Springfield, capturing a massive audience that has prayed for a follow-up for over two decades.
Producer John Melchior revealed in a 2023 interview that a sequel was genuinely in the works at Radical Entertainment. Alongside a medieval-themed Simpsons pitch from Matt Groening himself, Hit & Run 2 entered early development. However, the project collapsed after rights holders offered publisher Vivendi a deal for five more Simpsons games, which Vivendi ultimately declined.
Recent structural changes in the industry have given new life to these old hopes. Developers from the original Radical Entertainment have re-emerged as New Radical Games. This new studio prominently showcases Hit & Run on its official platform and explicitly offers porting and remastering services for classic titles, aligning closely with Groening’s recent comments.
Community-Driven Preservation While Fans Wait
While official announcements have remained sparse outside of D23, the gaming community has kept the title alive on modern hardware. Projects like the Donut Team’s continued support for Lucas’ Hit & Run Mod Launcher have enabled players to apply custom textures, updated dialog, and advanced controller support.
Ambitious independent developers have also demonstrated how well the 2003 codebase translates to modern graphics pipelines. Reubs’ Unreal Engine remake showcased the visual potential of rendering Springfield with modern lighting and high-polygon assets. Combined with Matt Groening’s remarks and New Radical Games’ operational focus, an official return feels closer than ever, though whether it manifests as a straight port, a remaster, or a full remake remains strictly under wraps.
