The Simpsons: Hit & Run' Fans Finally Have Hope For A Remaster After 23 Years, Thanks To Matt Groening
Overview & Key Takeaways
Matt Groening has commented on the possible return of The Simpsons Hit & Run, and the future seems positive for fans.
Fans of The Simpsons video games just got some great news at D23. While nothing was officially announced during Disney’s big showcase, series creator Matt Groening teased that the beloved The Simpsons: Hit & Run is "coming back in some form" during a separate panel.
There are several video games based on The Simpsons. The Simpsons Hit & Run, a GTA-like Simpsons experience, launched in 2003 and won the hearts of millions of fans around the world. Players still talk about it and reminisce about the time they spent with the game today. The Simpsons Hit & Run was available on the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and original Xbox. It has never been re-released, which is why it is so inaccessible nowadays.
Unless players can emulate it or own a physical copy to play on a working retro console, they can't play it. Even then, it isn't as practical as it could be if it were available on current-gen platforms like PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2. This is why players have asked for a remaster or a sequel of The Simpsons Hit & Run for years.
It seems fans may finally get their wish, as creator Matt Groening said that "the original game is coming back in some form," when asked about a possible sequel during a panel at D23. Matt Selman, executive producer and showrunner of The Simpsons, stopped him in his tracks with a quick, "or not." All the same, fans were immediately hopeful that the game would indeed return.
The franchise's biggest video game appearance in recent years was The Simpsons mini-season that launched in Fortnite in late 2025. It brought characters into the game as skins, featured weapons from the show, and Springfield as a Battle Royale map. Although it was fun, it made me even more nostalgic, as I longed to be able to play Hit & Run once again.
It is unknown what Matt Groening means when he says that the game will return in "some form." It could get a full-on remake or remaster. Alternatively, it could be re-released as part of PlayStation or Xbox's backward compatibility initiatives. Sony adds PS1, PS2, and PSP titles to PlayStation Plus Premium's classics catalog every month, including Disney-related ones like Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Meanwhile, Microsoft recently started an initiative bringing several original Xbox games to PC.
The Simpsons Hit & Run is not part of Xbox's backward compatibility list at the moment, which means players who own the physical copy cannot play it on current-gen consoles. It is possible that Xbox and Disney could be working together to sort out licensing agreements with the game's developers to bring Hit & Run to PC or Xbox Series X if that's the route they decide to go.
The Simpsons Hit & Run provided a unique experience. It was a fun game filled with characters from a beloved franchise. It's something that is incredibly hard to replicate, and I would love to be able to relive it. Hopefully, what Groening said means that something is coming. Soon enough, players will hopefully be able to drive recklessly through the streets of Springfield and listen to Homer chant "I am evil Homer, I am evil Homer" over and over again as he runs over his neighbors.
