Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, claims that The Simpsons: Hit & Run will "return in some form" after 23 years.
For over a decade, players have been calling for a remake of The Simpsons: Hit & Run. Petitions started as early as the 2010s, with fans wanting to "show Matt how much we want this game." Developed by Vivendi Games and Radical Entertainment, this GTA clone has become a childhood classic for a generation—kids who were banned from playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City by their parents for being "too mature" are now looking forward to driving Homer's pink sedan back through Springfield.
But according to IGN, Groening blurted out during a recent panel at the D23 Expo that "the original is coming back," only for current showrunner Matt Selman to immediately chime in: "Or maybe not."
However, players shouldn't lose hope just yet. It's possible Groening mixed up his information, and there are no actual plans to reboot Hit & Run, or that the project has been canceled. But just two months ago, Jordan Middler, a senior reporter at gaming media outlet VGC and a reliable industry insider, hinted that a remake of the game is in development.
He revealed that a licensed game based on a well-known IP, which "all players have been eagerly anticipating," is in development. Many popular spin-offs from the 2000s fit this description, but when Middler jokingly said the team was going to "hit-and-run" at the end of the podcast, he practically gave away the answer.
Selman's remarks were likely intended to downplay Groening's slip-up, preventing an premature official announcement, or perhaps just to keep players guessing. Either way, combining Middler's leak with current rumors, it seems all but certain that The Simpsons: Hit & Run is making its long-awaited return.