The Simpsons: Hit & Run has spent more than two decades on gaming’s increasingly crowded list of titles that fans refuse to let disappear. Now, a brief comment from Simpsons creator Matt Groening has given those players fresh reason to pay attention, although there is still no official announcement of a remaster, remake or sequel.
Speaking during a D23 panel, Groening was asked about the possibility of another The Simpsons: Hit & Run game. His answer suggested that the 2003 original could return “in some form.” Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman immediately followed the remark with a less committal “or maybe not,” leaving the exchange somewhere between a genuine tease and a joke that revealed slightly more than intended.
Either way, it is notable. There has been no confirmed announcement from Disney or a publisher detailing a new version of The Simpsons: Hit & Run, and Groening’s wording leaves plenty of room for interpretation. A modern remaster or remake of the original would seem like an obvious possibility, but nothing said at D23 confirms the format, platforms, developer or release window.
Released in 2003, Hit & Run became one of the more fondly remembered Simpsons games by combining an explorable Springfield with driving, missions and character switching. Its structure inevitably invited comparisons with the Grand Theft Auto series, but the familiar locations, characters and humour gave it an identity that went beyond being a family-friendly take on Rockstar’s formula.
Its reputation has arguably grown as access to the original has become more difficult. Hit & Run was released during the PlayStation 2, original Xbox, GameCube and PC era, and unlike many games from that period, it has never received a straightforward modern rerelease. That has helped turn a once-mainstream licensed game into something of a preservation headache for players who want to revisit it on current hardware.
The possibility of a comeback also fits a broader industry appetite for reviving games from the early 2000s. Publishers have increasingly used remasters and full remakes to bring established titles to modern platforms, reducing the commercial risk that comes with launching entirely new properties. Hit & Run has the additional advantage of being tied to The Simpsons, a franchise that remains culturally visible more than three decades after its television debut.
Selman has previously kept the door open to the game’s return, making the D23 exchange more interesting than an isolated joke. Still, the biggest questions remain unanswered. Licensing, publishing rights and ownership around older licensed games can make seemingly simple rereleases considerably more complicated than updating graphics and controller support.
For now, The Simpsons: Hit & Run remains exactly where it was before D23: unavailable on modern consoles and without an officially announced successor. The difference is that one of the franchise’s creators has now publicly suggested that the original may have another life ahead of it. After 23 years, that is enough to put Springfield back on the gaming radar.
