Even after all these years, gamers still hold The Simpsons: Hit & Run in high regard, and it turns out we might have enjoyed even more of it, if not for a surprising decision by someone involved in its distribution.
When it comes to the PlayStation 2, it’s hard to think of a game that has garnered as much affection as The Simpsons: Hit & Run. I’ve rarely come across anyone with a bad thing to say about it. Fans are still eager for a port or remaster, yet it remains elusive. Despite resembling the open-world antics of Grand Theft Auto and achieving solid sales, the game never received a sequel. Recently, we got a glimpse into the possible reason why. Earlier this month, a YouTuber known as Summoning Salt, who is known for creating documentary-length content on the history of speedrunning in games, released a detailed video on The Simpsons: Hit & Run. As picked up by GamesRadar, the video received an intriguing comment from none other than the game’s lead designer, Joe McGinn.
Initially, McGinn remarked on how “incredibly fun and heartwarming” it was to see such a video as the lead designer. However, he later revealed something truly surprising: there could have been up to three sequels to the game, without the need to pay for The Simpsons license. McGinn described how Gracie Films, the company behind The Simpsons, offered the publisher a groundbreaking deal. They proposed developing three more sequels, complete with all the rights and voice talent associated with The Simpsons, at the astounding cost of zero dollars—meaning no licensing fees.
With such a tempting offer on the table and given the original’s success, one might wonder why the green light never appeared. As McGinn elaborated, “some crazy person at the publisher – we never found out who – said no.” It was a baffling and undoubtedly frustrating decision for the developers. Sadly, two decades later, there’s little that can be done about it. We can only hope that one day, at the very least, a port might find its way to eager fans.
