Radical Resurrection? The Wizards Behind Hit & Run and Prototype Just Popped Back into Reality!
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Gaming legend Radical Entertainment, developers of *The Simpsons: Hit & Run* and *Prototype*, appear to be back as 'New Radical Games,' spearheaded by original co-founder Ian Wilkinson and other veterans, sparking massive fan excitement for potential remakes amidst strong rumours of a *Prototype* remaster.
Right, mates, gather 'round, because I've been tinkering with a bit of news that feels like someone whispered 'Expecto Patronum' for a forgotten gaming studio, and bloody hell, it actually worked! We're talking about Radical Entertainment – the legends who gave us *The Simpsons: Hit & Run* and the gloriously chaotic *Prototype*. Apparently, they've decided the digital afterlife was a bit too quiet and have reappeared under a new banner: **New Radical Games**.
Now, my first thought was, 'Is this some elaborate fan project gone rogue, or did a glitch in the Matrix just bring back a cult classic dev team?' But as IGN South Africa's Vikki Blake expertly reported, this isn't just a rumour floating around a forgotten corner of the internet. This is a bona fide studio, and the story behind it is wilder than a wizard's spell gone awry.
### A Phoenix From the Digital Ashes (and a Bankruptcy Sale, Apparently)
Let's rewind a bit, shall we? Radical Entertainment started way back in 1991, churning out games that, for many of us, defined chunks of our childhoods and teenage years. Think *Scarface: The World Is Yours*, think *Prototype*, and, of course, the open-world shenanigans of *The Simpsons: Hit & Run*. Activision eventually snapped them up in 2008, only to slowly let them fade away, eventually turning them into a support studio for *Destiny* before shutting them down altogether a mere five years later. A classic tale of corporate acquisition, consolidation, and eventual… well, dissolution. Pretty grim, eh?
But here's where it gets interesting, like finding a secret passage in a dungeon you thought you'd fully explored. New Radical Games isn't just 'Radical' in spirit; it's literally an 'amalgamation of "Radical Entertainment plus Hothead Games." ' For those unfamiliar, Hothead Games was another Vancouver-based studio that, sadly, went bankrupt in 2024. So, it seems a bit of a digital necromancy has occurred, bringing parts of these studios back together.
The new outfit is being led by some seriously familiar faces, which, to me, is the real magic here. CEO Ian Wilkinson actually co-founded the original Radical Entertainment, and COO Tim Bennison was previously an executive producer and VP technology at Radical, later serving as COO at Capcom's Vancouver studio. This isn't just some branding exercise; these are the original architects, back to potentially build something new from the ruins. Their new website boasts, 'it all started with Radical Entertainment back in 1991. Fast forward to 2025 and we have amassed invaluable experience along the way. We know how to capture the essence of world-class intellectual properties, and deliver licensed games that delight fans everywhere.' That last bit, 'licensed games that delight fans,' is a massive hint, wouldn't you say?
### The Hype Train Has Left the Station (and It's Full of 'Prototype' Remaster Dreams)
Naturally, the internet has absolutely lost its collective mind over this. Gamers, ever the optimists when it comes to reviving beloved IPs, are frothing at the mouth at the prospect of dormant classics making a comeback. And who can blame them? I mean, when you read quotes like, 'I LITERALLY JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS IN A THREAD ABOUT WHAT DEV STUDIOS WE WOULD REVIVE IF WE WERE RICH A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO!! HOLY S***!! I WILLED THIS INTO EXISTENCE!! I'M A GOD!!' — you know the community's heart is truly invested.
But it's not just pure, unadulterated hope powering this hype. There have been some genuinely fascinating breadcrumbs leading up to this moment, especially concerning *Prototype*. You know me, I love a good mystery, and the detective work done by eagle-eyed fans is nothing short of legendary. Late last year, rumours started circulating that a *Prototype* remaster might be on the way. Why? Because the game, which has mostly been gathering digital dust on Steam for a decade and a half, suddenly started seeing a flurry of backend updates via SteamDB.
Now, on its own, a few Steam updates might not mean much. But then the dataminers got involved (bless their curious souls!), and things got properly spicy. They uncovered a mysterious change to the game's credits, adding not only remaster studio **Iron Galaxy** (these folks have a knack for revamping old titles, like the *Spyro Reignited Trilogy*), but also a curious reference to **Ubisoft Connect**. Ubisoft Connect! What's *that* about? Is Ubisoft somehow involved in bringing Alex Mercer back to life? My brain's doing cartwheels trying to connect those dots. As one fan on Reddit put it, 'For Prototype 1, they have added some test maps and quite a few new names in the credits. There might be some hope for a remaster after all.'
### A Corporate Octopus and the Golden Donut
So, we've got a newly resurrected studio led by original devs, and simultaneous, very specific rumours of a remaster for one of their most iconic games. Coincidence? Perhaps. Or perhaps, the winds of change are blowing, and New Radical Games is ready to catch them. While the Prototype remaster rumour might be a separate initiative spearheaded by Iron Galaxy (potentially with Ubisoft's involvement), the timing of New Radical Games' emergence certainly pours petrol on the fan hype fire.
What about *The Simpsons: Hit & Run*, you ask? Ah, that's where the gentle skepticism kicks in, like Homer trying to jump the canyon on a skateboard. While calls for a remake have echoed through the gaming world for over two decades, the original article points out a rather sobering quote from *Simpsons* writer Matt Selman in 2021. He'd 'love to see a remastered version' but admitted it would be 'a complicated corporate octopus to try to make that happen.' And he's not wrong. Licensing, especially for a property as massive and intertwined as *The Simpsons* (Fox, Disney, Universal, EA, etc.), is a nightmare of red tape, lawyers, and probably more money than Scrooge McDuck's vault can hold. So, while New Radical Games states they 'know how to capture the essence of world-class intellectual properties,' getting the rights to Springfield's antics back might be their first boss battle.
### What Happens Next?
This isn't concrete proof of anything beyond New Radical Games existing and some very strong signals about *Prototype*, but you've got to admit, it's intriguing! New Radical *must* have been established to work on something, right? You don't bring back a beloved name and gather original talent just to make spreadsheets. My bet is on them leveraging their 'invaluable experience' with licensed IPs. Whether that means a *new* licensed game, or, dare to dream, some movement on *Prototype* or another classic, remains to be seen. But for now, my fingers are crossed, and my digital crystal ball is glowing with cautious optimism. Let's see what these digital wizards cook up next! Cheers to the possibility of old magic returning, eh?
Tags: Gaming News, Radical Entertainment, Prototype, Simpsons Hit & Run, Game Development
Original article: IGN South Africa