The Simpsons: Hit and Run Remake 'is happening' according to reputable insider
According to sources, a remake of The Simpsons: Hit and Run 'is happening' over at Activision.
A reputable insider has hinted that a remake of The Simpsons: Hit and Run ‘is happening’, seemingly confirming the news that gamers have waited years for.
The hint comes from VGC’s Jordan Middler, who recently hosted a podcast breaking down all the announcements from Sunday’s Xbox Games Showcase. While discussing the reveal of Spyro: A Realm Beyond, Middler explains how Activision appears to be diving deep into its bag of licensed properties, and that one particular game is set to make a return.
“I think Activision’s next step, and they’re doing this with one very significant one, is to try and bring back some of that licensed stuff. Like, making new versions of those licensed games,” Middler says. “The one that everyone’s absolutely desperate for is happening, so I think that is the stuff they can trade on.”
Middler doesn’t specifically call out The Simpsons: Hit and Run, but given how in-demand a remake or remaster of the 2003 classic is, it’s not hard to make the leap.
The Simpsons: Hit and Run launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC and GameCube back in the day with it translating Grand Theft Auto’s rough gameplay template to a virtual version of Springfield. You’d play as multiple Simpsons characters, including Homer, Bart, Lisa and Marge across a few open-world hubs, mostly racing cars and completing 3D platforming puzzles.
Despite its immense popularity, a remake of the game has never surfaced, and there are a few speculative reasons for why this might be – especially since it seems to be a money-making no brainer.
For one, it’s a bit up in the air as to who owns the rights to The Simpsons: Hit and Run. The original game was developed by Vivendi Games, which was later merged into Activision Blizzard in 2008.
At the time, 20th Century Fox owned the rights to The Simpsons, but that has now of course been subsumed by Disney.
There’s also the question of whether some of the original game’s content would need to be cut – or at least significantly reworked – for it to release today. The entire fifth level of Hit and Run sees players take control of Apu, a character who’s no longer voiced in the show due to criticism of perpetuating south-asian stereotypes.
Despite the declining audience of The Simpsons over recent years, the characters have started to appear in video games once again with a massive Fortnite collaboration taking place in late 2025.
Activision hasn’t acknowledged the existence of a Simpsons: Hit and Run remake just yet, but Middler’s intel seems to hint that it’s happening.
With Disney planning a second Simpsons Movie in 2027, it’s possible Activision could be waiting until then to release it as a tie-in.
Would you play a remake of The Simpsons: Hit and Run today?
