Even after all these years, gamers can’t get enough of The Simpsons: Hit & Run, and there might have been even more to enjoy, if not for an unexpected twist involving someone who helped publish the game.
When it comes to beloved PS2 games, few can rival The Simpsons: Hit & Run. Its reputation is so stellar that I’ve yet to hear anyone speak ill of it. Fans have been pleading for a port or remaster, but we’re still waiting. Although it sold impressively well back in the day, no sequel ever saw the light of day. But now, we might know why. In a recent video by YouTuber Summoning Salt—who is known for creating documentaries on speedrunning scenes from various games— some light has been shed on the mystery. Notably, GameRadar highlighted a comment from none other than the game’s lead designer, Joe McGinn.
McGinn initially commented to express how touched he was by the documentary, describing it as “incredibly fun and heartwarming.” But in a follow-up comment, he revealed startling news: the game could have had as many as three sequels without needing to pay for The Simpsons license. According to McGinn, Gracie Films, the production company behind The Simpsons, offered a deal to the publisher that included full rights and access to voice actors for those sequels, all for a total cost of zero dollars.
So, with such an enticing offer and given the game’s success, why weren’t more sequels greenlit? McGinn explained, “some crazy person at the publisher—we never found out who—said no.” It’s a baffling and frustrating decision for everyone involved, especially the developers. Now, two decades later, there’s not much that can be done about it. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll see a port surface eventually.
