Players continue to hold a deep affection for The Simpsons: Hit & Run even now, and it seems there could have been more in store if not for a decision made by someone integral to its publishing.
Reflecting on the matter, it’s hard to find a PS2 game that has garnered as much widespread love as The Simpsons: Hit & Run. Rarely does anyone voice a bad opinion about it. Fans are still eagerly hoping for a port or remaster, although none has seen the light of day. Despite its strong sales and the game’s Grand Theft Auto-inspired design, a sequel never emerged. Recently, however, we may have uncovered the reason behind this. Earlier this month, YouTuber Summoning Salt, who creates in-depth documentaries on the history of games’ speedrunning communities, released a piece focused on The Simpsons: Hit & Run. As spotted by GamesRadar, Joe McGinn, the game’s lead designer, left an intriguing comment on the video.
Initially, McGinn praised the video, describing it as “incredibly fun and heartwarming” from his perspective as the lead designer. He later revealed in another comment that the game could have spawned up to three sequels, without incurring extra costs for The Simpsons licensing. Gracie Films, the production company behind The Simpsons, proposed a deal to the publisher: they could develop three sequels, complete with rights and voice actors, for essentially no cost—meaning no licensing fees would apply.
Given such an enticing offer, combined with the game’s initial success, it inevitably raises the question: why was it not given the green light? McGinn went on to reveal that “some crazy person at the publisher – we never found out who – said no.” This decision seemed almost bewildering at the time and understandably disappointing for the developers. Now, twenty years have passed, leaving little recourse for rectifying what could have been. Perhaps someday, fans will see at least a port resurfacing.
