The Simpsons Hit & Run's Developers Are Just as Confused as Fans About Why We Never Got a Sequel
The developers of The Simpsons: Hit & Run finally sat down to discuss why the cult classic open-world game never got a sequel, and honestly, it sounds like they're just as confused as fans.
Programmers Cary Brisebois and Greg Mayer, producer Steve Bocska, designer Darren Evenson, executive producer John Melchior and designer-writer Chris Mitchell dove into the details of what happened in a call with reporter Ben Hanson. A three-minute clip of the interview was posted November 20 on the MinnMax YouTube channel.
As it turns out, a follow-up game was in the works by Radical Entertainment, the developers revealed. But when asked about the rationale behind the decision to halt production on the sequel, Melchior said, "I don't know."
"It was a five game deal for less money than I think Vivendi paid for the first game," Melchior continued, detailing how his boss at the time was similarly befuddled by the game being tabled. "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."
The original game — also developed by Radical Entertainment — was released by Vivendi Universal Games in 2003. As word of an alien conspiracy breaks out in Springfield, players can participate in a variety of quests to investigate the series of strange events that unfold. And as fans of The Simpsons: Hit & Run know well, one of the most iconic features is the game's Grand Theft Auto-inspired racing missions.
The plan for the sequel was to expand on players' driving capabilities by allowing them to tow objects from vehicles. Mayer even created a prototype for the
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