Few licensed games earn the kind of enduring devotion that The Simpsons: Hit & Run has enjoyed since 2003. Part open-world driving game, part cheeky Grand Theft Auto parody wrapped around the world of Springfield, it has spent two decades near the top of every “please remaster this” wishlist. And at D23 2026, series creator Matt Groening appeared to say the magic words out loud — before immediately being reined in.
During the appearance, Groening offered that “I think the original game is coming back in some form.” It was the sort of statement that sends a fan base into a frenzy, and current showrunner Matt Selman clearly noticed, cutting in with a quick “or not” to muddy the water. The exchange had all the hallmarks of a creator letting slip something he probably wasn’t cleared to share.
So what do we actually know? Honestly, not much beyond that slip. There’s no confirmed developer, no publisher statement, no platforms, no price and no release window. Groening’s phrasing — “in some form” — is deliberately vague, and it covers a lot of ground: a straight remaster, a modern remake, a re-release on current storefronts, or something else entirely. Selman’s interjection suggests that whatever is happening, it isn’t ready to be talked about publicly.
That vagueness matters, because Hit & Run occupies a peculiar place in gaming history. Despite its cult status, it never received a sequel or an official re-release, leaving fans to keep it alive through emulation, fan patches and one high-profile unofficial remake that Disney reportedly shut down. Any sanctioned return would be a genuine event rather than a routine back-catalogue port.
A few reasons to stay cautiously optimistic:
- It was Groening himself — not an anonymous insider — who floated the idea, on stage at an official Disney event.
- The demand has never faded. The game routinely tops nostalgia polls, and remasters of similar early-2000s titles have performed well commercially.
- “In some form” leaves the door open for anything from a light touch-up to a full-scale rebuild.
And a few reasons to keep expectations in check:
- Selman’s on-the-spot “or not” reads less like a joke and more like damage control.
- There is no official announcement from Disney, EA (the original publisher) or any studio.
- Teased comments at fan events have a long history of never materialising into shipping products.
For now, treat this as an encouraging rumour rather than a launch. If a Springfield revival really is in motion, the people involved clearly aren’t ready to hit the gas just yet. We’ll be watching for anything resembling a formal reveal — and until then, keep those cola-fuelled expectations idling.
