The Simpsons: Hit & Run Remaster Has Already Been Axed
Giving us some serious Simpsons "road rage", the ambitious fan remake of The Simpsons: Hit & Run has already been pulled from the internet. We're shouting "D'oh" and beating the dashboard of the Family Sedan, because this glorious fan project has been stopped in its tracks and thrown on the Springfield Tire Fire.
Only days ago, we covered how YouTuber reubs had managed to recreate the first level of the 2003 cult classic in Unreal Engine 5...in just a week. Despite Hit & Run's lauded legacy, you'll need an old GameCube, PC, PS2 or original Xbox to play the title because it's never left the systems it was originally released on.
Why was The Simspons: Hit & Run remaster axed?
Sadly, reubs' glossy Hit & Run remake has been pulled due to "copyright concerns". After the original video started doing the rounds online, the world and his wife started reporting on the remake - which was likely to draw the attention of the Disney bigwigs. Much like The Simpsons' Blue-Haired Lawyer, the House of Mouse doesn't take any prisoners when it comes to slapping you with an injunction.
Alongside the video, rebus posted a free demo for you to experience Hit & Run in all its 4K glory. Now though, the video's description reveals the demo has been pulled due to copyright. Although he doesn't go on to explain who had a problem with this next-gen Hit & Run, it doesn't take a genius to figure out who the culprit probably is. The description simply reads, "Demo link no longer available due to copyright concerns. Sorry bout that!"
What's next for The Simpsons Hit & Run remaster?
At the time of writing, reubs' video is still up, but if the demo has been pulled, we've got to ask how much longer it'll be online before it's also given the boot. In the brief period the demo was available, it caught the attention of those who worked on the original Hit & Run all those years ago.
In a comment on the YouTube video, The Simpsons: Hit & Run Lead Designer, Joe McGinn, said, "Amazing what you accomplished! Really gives a taste of what a full modern remaster could be. Impressive work!" Is this our first glimmer of hope that the powers that be could rev the engines once more?
The idea that Hit & Run will come racing into our lives for next-gen has become a running joke. The Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman has thrown himself behind the idea but explained it's "complicated". Elsewhere, the original Hit & Run producer has also given us his own plans for a Hit & Run remaster, with Vlad Ceraldi praising the longevity of the game's following. Sadly, the fact reubs demo has been dropped down Mr. Burns' trapdoor isn't exactly the sign we'd hoped for.
