The Studio Behind The Simpsons: Hit & Run Is Back and Fans Think a Revival Could Be Coming

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Few licensed games from the early 2000s are remembered as fondly as The Simpsons: Hit & Run, the open-world hit that blended Springfield chaos with Grand Theft Auto-style gameplay and went on to sell roughly 9 million copies worldwide. Now, more than two decades later, the team behind it has resurfaced under a new banner and that alone has sparked intense speculation.

New Radical Games is the relaunched identity of Radical Entertainment, the veteran studio founded in 1991 by Ian Wilkinson. After being acquired by Vivendi Games in 2005 and later shuttered under Activision around 2012 following layoffs, the once-prominent developer faded from the spotlight. Now, Wilkinson returns as CEO of the revived outfit, operating under the Hothead Games umbrella, bringing with it more than three decades of experience in licensed IP development.

The relaunch immediately turned heads for one specific reason: the new website prominently featured updated artwork and imagery from The Simpsons: Hit & Run, including revised box art and in-game screenshots of Springfield. For longtime fans, it felt less like nostalgia and more like a deliberate signal.

New Radical’s leadership further strengthens that hope. COO Tim Bennison, who previously worked on Prototype and Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, brings experience spanning major publishers and even visual effects work tied to Disney and Marvel projects. The studio’s stated focus includes full-cycle development, co-development, ports, live operations, and notably, remastering classic titles with upgraded visuals, audio, and gameplay for modern platforms.

Still, it is important to separate excitement from confirmation. No project has been officially announced. The studio is hiring and positioning itself for future IP collaborations, but there has been no statement from New Radical or Disney regarding The Simpsons.