There are many classic video games that fans want to see remastered, but some are more in-demand than others. One game that it seems many fans want to see get the remaster treatment in particular is the classic 2003 open world game The Simpsons: Hit & Run, which served as a satirical send up of the Grand Theft Auto games. Whether or not fans will ever see The Simpsons: Hit & Run Remastered remains to be seen, but a new study proves that demand is clearly there.
A study conducted by GAME looked to discover the most in-demand video game remasters. Using Google search volumes, trends, article engagement, and other factors, GAME discovered the video game remasters that fans want to see the most. The Simpsons Hit & Run was number 9 going by those metrics, but then GAME conducted a poll that saw The Simpsons Hit & Run earn a whopping 44% of the vote, far ahead of second place winner Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which had 24% of the vote.
When one considers just how popular the Grand Theft Auto series is, it may be surprising to see a potential San Andreas remaster beaten so handily by the demand for a Simpsons: Hit & Run remaster. However, there's a solid explanation for why that could be. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas may not have an official remaster available, but it is playable on the latest PlayStation and Xbox hardware, making it much easier for fans to experience it without digging old consoles out of the closet.
The Simpsons: Hit & Run, meanwhile, is not playable on any modern consoles. The closest one could get would be playing the GameCube version on the Wii or the PlayStation 2 version on a launch PS3, with neither option being all that convenient.
Another reason why The Simpsons: Hit & Run remaster demand is so high could be due to the ballooning prices of retro video games. A quick look at eBay shows complete copies of The Simpsons: Hit & Run retailing for up to $75 in some cases, so not only would anyone interested in playing the game need to acquire an old console, they'd potentially have to spend the same amount they would on buying a brand new, next-generation video game.
Of course, The Simpsons: Hit & Run and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas weren't the only in-demand video game remasters found by GAME's study. For those interested, here are the top 10 most in-demand video game remasters according to GAME's study (listed in order of least in-demand to most in-demand, not factoring in the poll results):
- The Urbz: Sims in the City
- The Simpsons: Hit & Run
- SSX Tricky
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
- Tomb Raider
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Bully
- Red Dead Redemption
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 & 4
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Whether or not The Simpsons: Hit & Run remaster ever materializes remains to be seen, but if it did happen, it would likely be met with much fanfare. Meanwhile, some of the other games listed in the study likely stand a greater chance at getting remastered, like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and 4, for instance.
Source: GAME