The Simpsons: Hit & Run could finally be making its long-awaited return, after series creator Matt Groening appeared to reveal that the beloved 2003 game is coming back “in some form.”
Speaking during a Simpsons panel at Disney’s D23 event, Groening was asked whether fans could ever see another Hit & Run game. Showrunner Matt Selman initially responded that it “would certainly be a treat,” before Groening offered a much more interesting answer.
“I think the original game is coming back in some form,” Groening said.
Selman quickly followed the comment with “or not,” leading to speculation that Groening may have revealed something that wasn’t ready to be announced. No new Hit & Run project has officially been confirmed by Disney, Activision or another publisher at the time of writing.
The wording is particularly interesting because Groening specifically referred to the “original game.” Rather than pointing towards a direct sequel, his comment could suggest a remaster, remake or modern re-release of the original Hit & Run.
The comments also arrive just months after rumours of a revival began gaining momentum. In June, VGC journalist Jordan Middler discussed Activision bringing back licensed games and teased that one particularly requested revival was already happening. His comments and a subsequent “hit and run” sign-off were widely interpreted as a hint towards The Simpsons: Hit & Run, although the project was never officially identified.
Originally developed by Radical Entertainment and released in 2003 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and PC, The Simpsons: Hit & Run offered players an open-world-style version of Springfield filled with driving, exploration, collectibles and missions featuring characters from the television series.
Despite becoming one of the most fondly remembered Simpsons games, Hit & Run has never received an official remaster or modern console release. It’s currently unavailable through both the PlayStation Plus Classics catalogue and Xbox’s backward compatibility programme.
Fans have been requesting a remake or remaster for years, and Groening’s latest comments provide one of the strongest indications yet that something could finally be happening.
For now, exactly what “coming back in some form” means remains unclear. However, combined with the rumours surrounding Activision earlier this year, the possibility of returning to Springfield is suddenly looking much more realistic.