The Simpsons executive producer gives new hope to reviving one of the best video games of all time
There's still plenty of gas left in the tank
Deciding the 'best' video game of all time is like a parent choosing their favorite child. You know you shouldn't do it, but let's be honest, you all have an answer.
Whether it be battling the mad mushroom monsters of The Last of Us, serenading us with the sweet melodies of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, or diving into the Wild West of Red Dead Redemption 2, they all have their supporters.
Reading any list of the best video games of all time, you'll likely find at least one Grand Theft Auto title on there, and if you're lucky, you might find a little cartoon caper that was inspired by Rockstar's automotive adventure.
With The Simpsons still on the air after 36 years (and supposedly predicting the future), America's favorite family has enjoyed great success in the world of video games – especially when it comes to the GTA-inspiredThe Simpsons: Hit & Run. Unfortunately, time hasn't been kind to Hit & Run, so unless you've got an old PC, GameCube, PS2, or an OG Xbox, it's almost impossible to play the 2003 legend.
Advert
Offering a glimmer of hope that we could soon be back behind the wheel of Mr Burns' limo, The Simpsons' Matt Selman has given a much-needed update. As well as serving as an executive producer on the main series, Selman co-wrote Hit & Run all those years ago.
With constant questions about a potential revival, Selman told People: "Nothing is set in stone. But my quote about Hit & Run would be, 'Never say never'. Because we know people love it. We know they want it, so that's good. If we know people want it, never say never."
Various fan projects have tried to remake and remaster this plucky game, while others have even created their own Futurama: Hit & Run. Sadly, there's been no official word on whether we could see more Hit & Run, with it thought that the rights are lost in a quagmire of legalities and shuttered gaming studios.
As well as taking over development on the beloved Crash Tag Team Racing, Radical Entertainment helped create the Crazy Taxi-esque The Simpsons: Road Rage, and had even been working on a Hit & Run 2 until the IP was acquired by Electronic Arts.
Radical was acquired by publisher Vivendi Games in 2005, transferred to Activision in 2008, and was (more soon) considered defunct as of 2012. Similarly, Vivendi went under in 2008, meaning many are unsure where Hit & Run’s ownership really lies.
As for how Hit & Run came to be, Selman confirmed that a not-so-little rival franchise served as inspiration: "I remember being in a meeting with whoever made it and Grand Theft Auto III had just come out, and so we were like, 'This has to be The Simpsons version of that. You have to be able to get in and out of the cars.'
"They so did not want people to get in and out of the cars. So, that was a huge battle we had to fight of getting in and out of the cars. We luckily won that battle because it is fun to get in and out of the cars."
While Selman simply sounds like he's among the millions who'd like to see more from Hit & Run as either a remaster, remake, or full-blown revival of the work that had already been put into Hit & Run 2, there's one last silver lining. Tongues were set wagging when Radical Games seemingly rose from the ashes with a website titled New Radical Games in 2025. Is this the start of a new era, and will the OG developer finally put the pedal to the metal for more Hit & Run? Watch this space.