The dev team behind the beloved The Simpsons: Hit & Run have revealed that they too are surprised the game was never given a sequel and that it seemed like a “no brainer” for them that they would have been working on more games after the 2003 hit.
Over the years, there have been many popular video games that, despite fan requests, have never received a sequel or follow-up game. Of these, one game that stands out from the pack is the 2003 title, The Simpsons: Hit & Run.
The game, which first launched on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Gamecube, has become a cult classic amongst gamers. In large part due to the way in which it allowed gamers to completely demolish Springfield, play as different characters, and complete fun and original missions.
And in a new interview with MinnMax, the dev team behind the original The Simpsons: Hit & Run revealed that they are just as surprised as fans that their iconic game was never given the green light for a sequel.
Programmers Cary Brisebois and Greg Mayer, producer Steve Bocska, designer Darren Evenson, executive producer John Melchior and designer-writer Chris Mitchell all spoke with the outlet, drawing the veil back on the conversations that halted a sequel and more games two decades ago.
“It was a five-game deal for less money than I think Vivendi paid for the first game,” Melchior began.
“He was just like, ‘I don’t understand. I gave it to you on a silver platter, why aren’t you just saying yes and doing these games?’ It was just a really bizarre decision. I’ll never understand it. Most people on the production level never understood it.”
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“In those early days, kind of everybody just imagines what they want, so I’m sure there were 12 competing storylines at that point,” Mitchell went on. “Who knows what the final story would have been?”
Melchoir then explained that “back then, the possibility of the game not reaching fruition was unthinkable — especially with four more potential games on the horizon, the developers agreed: “This was going to be a franchise, no doubt in anybody’s mind.”
Evenson then expressed how, for the dev team, the thought of making more games was “a no-brainer; it was like, well of course we’re going to be doing this,” Evenson added. “The stars are aligned, we’re treading down this path. And then it was just like a, ‘Huh, I guess we’re not.'”
While these comments do imply that a sequel may be off the cards for good, there is always the chance that one could get the green light in the future.
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