The 2003 game The Simpsons: Hit & Run is a cherished classic that fans have long hoped would get a sequel. However, a recently revealed detail has surfaced, and it’s not likely to sit well with fans.
In an interview with Summoning Salt, lead designer Joe McGinn shared that Radical Entertainment, the studio behind Hit & Run, had the opportunity to create sequels. According to McGinn, Gracie Films offered Radical’s publisher, Vivendi Games, a deal to produce up to three sequels without having to pay any additional licensing fees. This meant they could use The Simpsons characters, voices, and other assets at no extra cost.
McGinn recalled the offer, saying, “Gracie Films offered our publisher a deal to make three sequels, with all Simpsons rights and voice actors, for the preferred price of zero dollars.” Despite this golden opportunity, Radical never moved forward with a sequel. “Some crazy person at the publisher—we never found out who—said no,” McGinn revealed.
No additional details were provided about why this decision was made, and it remains a mystery. The game, which reportedly sold up to 10 million copies, seemed like an obvious candidate for a follow-up. Still, various factors could have influenced the decision, leaving fans with unfulfilled hopes for what could have been.
Even after two decades, Hit & Run is still beloved, largely due to its charm and the ongoing enthusiasm from the speedrunning community. McGinn remarked, “We never imagined it would still be bringing some people happiness 20 years later!”
Following Hit & Run, Radical Entertainment shifted focus to other projects, including licensed titles like CSI: Miami for Ubisoft, Scarface: The World Is Yours with Vivendi, and later original games like Prototype and Prototype 2 under Activision. The studio’s final contribution was assisting Bungie on the original Destiny before it ultimately shut down.
In recent years, with the trend of remakes and re-releases, there’s been speculation about whether Hit & Run might make a comeback. While McGinn has expressed interest in a potential remake, the closure of Radical Entertainment and Vivendi Games complicates matters. It’s unclear who currently holds the video game rights to The Simpsons franchise, though Electronic Arts published The Simpsons Game in 2007 and the mobile game The Simpsons: Tapped Out in 2012, which will end service in early 2024.
Hit & Run remains a standout in The Simpsons gaming history, standing above earlier efforts like Radical’s 2001 release, Simpsons: Road Rage, which failed to capture the same level of acclaim. Whether fans will ever see a revival of this iconic game remains uncertain, but the legacy of Hit & Run endures.