Every time old licensed games, remakes, or forgotten classics come back into the conversation, Hit & Run is usually near the top of the list. It is one of those games fans refuse to let go of, and for good reason. It was not just another early 2000s licensed game. It was a funny, chaotic, surprisingly memorable trip through Springfield, and it is considered to be one of the best TV-based games ever made.
However, even with high demand, a consistent problem that kept the possibility of a remake away for a long time was the rights holder issue. The Simpsons is owned by Disney, while Hit & Run came from Radical Entertainment and the old Vivendi/Universal and Activision structure. And today, Microsoft owns Activision. So the situation is a little more complicated than simply deciding to bring back an old first-party game.
But now, the rumor is back again, with VGC’s Jordan Middler hinting that the remake “everyone has been asking for” may finally be in the works. The title was not officially confirmed, but the hint was enough to connect the dots to The Simpsons: Hit & Run.
The biggest reason why this game would make sense is the upcoming The Simpsons Movie 2, which is currently scheduled for 2027. If Disney wants to bring The Simpsons back into the spotlight in a bigger way, a remake of its most beloved console game would be one of the easiest wins possible. It would not need to be a direct movie tie-in. It would simply need to arrive around the same window and ride the renewed interest in the franchise.
That strategy has worked before. The first Simpsons movie released in 2007, around the same era when The Simpsons Game brought the family back to consoles. A new movie gives Disney a reason to think about the brand beyond television again, and gaming would be an obvious place to look.
Licensed game nostalgia is stronger than ever, and remakes are a major part of the industry nowadays. If Hit & Run is real, launching it near the next movie would be one of the smartest moves possible.