Matt Groening's Simpsons secret

By Johnny Minkley Published 5 July, 2007

Game and movie spoilers alert!

Eurogamer tackled Simpsons creator Matt Groening last night on the forthcoming EA game, following an exclusive 10-minute preview of the long-awaited movie of animation's first family.

Groening was joined by long-time partner Al Jean, exec producer on the show, at the Odeon West End in London's Leicester Square, which we blagged our way into alongside hordes of apparently professional journalists.

And when we hijacked proceedings to ask about the new game, being developed in conjunction with EA, Groening revealed he has a very big role to play in it himself.

"Well the video game is mainly written by great writers, Matt Selman and Matt Warburton - I mean, you can just tell. Great, right? They did a send-up of videogames. It's a videogame about videogames; and I'm in the videogame.

"I'm a boss that you have to fight at the end of the game. It was really fun recording a million ways of dying, going 'UGGH, ARGGH, EUURGH!'"

Which are possibly more levels of irony than our feeble brains can cope with. The game, which sets out to parody every notable game series and cliché it can get its stubby yellow hands on, is due out later this year.

As for the film, spoiler fans: from the teaser we saw, set aside your cynicism - it's set to be a corker. Our 10-minute amuse bouche was an uncontrollable belly laugh of masterful observations and goofy slapstick, featuring Green Day getting bottled off stage and drowning in a sea of toxic waste, Abe Simpson struck by a confusing vision from God as Homer frantically leafs through The Bible ("This book doesn't have any answers!"); and Bart getting his willy out on a skateboard ("I like men now," bleats a bemused Ralph Wiggum).

The Simpsons movie hits the UK on 26th July. EA has yet to date the game.

Picture of Johnny.

About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

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Comments (34) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Overlush #1 5 years ago

    "Matt Groening's Simpsons secret"

    They're alive?

  • trav #2 5 years ago

    Didn't EA do this with Superman Returns? Do a movie-tie in game that doesn't tie in with the films release?

  • david78 #3 5 years ago

    The movie looks so good.

  • spongebob #4 5 years ago

    Jonny, you're an amuse bouche yourself :)

  • menage #5 5 years ago

    I would love a good Simpson game. But all I saw from early footage was Homer rolling around like a ball all the time. Which frankly, got old real fast.

  • skillian #6 5 years ago

    Sounds like a great idea for teh game.

    I appreciate the comforting words, but it'll take more than that to wipe away my cynicism about the movie (and the game). Is the Simpsons suddenly going to become funny again after so many years of backsliding? I hope so.

  • macksed #7 5 years ago

    this is set to be the best licensed game EVER!!!! - maybe?

  • snick #8 5 years ago

    Please let this be good (film and game). A return to form for the Simpsons would be great news.

  • TonyCocaCola #9 5 years ago

    willy?

  • souljacker2000 #10 5 years ago

    Ralph Wiggum, turning gay... i always thought it would of been Martin

  • Chtulie #11 5 years ago

    How does one tell the diffirence between a game lampooning videogame cliche's and about 90% of all videogames out there?

  • PlugMonkey #12 5 years ago

    "How does one tell the diffirence between a game lampooning videogame cliche's and about 90% of all videogames out there?"

    How does one tell the difference between a TV show lampooning TV show cliches and about 90% of all TV shows out there?

    I have to say, I think the concept for the game is fantastic. I hope they can pull it off. When I first read what they were doing it suddenly seemed so obvious it was like being hit between the eyes with a hammer. I can't believe no-one's taken this approach before.

    Don't make a game of the TV show. Make a game that is to other games what the TV show is to other TV shows. It's inspired!

  • The-Bodybuilder #13 5 years ago

    >"Ralph Wiggum, turning gay... i always thought it would of been Martin."

    He IS gay.

    He's the "queen of the ball.....i mean King" in his own words.

  • souljacker2000 #14 5 years ago

    haha yea o well im sure barts willy was worth looking at... all yellow n all

  • MrBiggles #15 5 years ago

    The Simpsons has been shit for about 5 years now

  • PlugMonkey #16 5 years ago

    Jesus!

    Have you seen the preview? Or are you saying I should ignore the opinions of some people who have seen the preview; and listen to the opinion of you, who hasn't seen the preview? All because you don't find a transcript of a slapstick sequence particularly funny?

    Somedays I just love the internet.

  • Wyrm #17 5 years ago

    I'm as bored with the simpsons now as anyone, but the spider-pig bit I saw on the news this morning has been making me laugh all day :D

    Spiderpig, spiderpig, does whatever a spiderpig does...

  • afghan_jones #18 5 years ago

    Anyone who genuinely believes this will be good has forgotten the following three points -

    Point 1 : All movie/tv license games are traditionally shit.
    Point 2 : All Simpsons license game are traditionally very shit.
    Point 3 : The Simpsons has been quite unfunny for ages, relying on shoehorned in celebrity appearances and random 'wacky' Homer moments rather than the razor sharp character observations and satire that it used to involve.

    I predict the game will be a poor third person platfrmer featuring a variety of simpsons characters each with 'special moves'. You'll run around generic levels based on springfield whilst a selection of 10 homer soundbites are repeated ad infinitum by your character until you want to kill yourself.

    Where this game and film are concerned, optimists will be sorely disappointed, cynics will revel in mauling both the game and the film over the internet once they are released.

    Also, it may have only been a transcript but that green day thing makes me feel violently ill and is a perfect example of exactly what has been shit about the simpsons for the last few years.
    Edited by 1 at 05/07/07 @ 13:47

  • souljacker2000 #19 5 years ago

    @afghan Jones

    Yea i can see where your coming from... but if the game does have the spiderpig section in it.... itll b the best simpsons game ever

  • menage #20 5 years ago

    They should make this a Zelda/ Okami style game. Where you get to meet every character from the game in a relaxed RPG-ish/ storylike way.

    That's the only template which will do the toen of Springfield justice I think.

    Then again an new kartracer would rock! .....joke

  • afghan_jones #21 5 years ago

    "It's not the anonymous moaning of the internet, it's fair assumption based on a preview trailer neatly containing almost everything that been wrong with the last nine or ten seasons of the Simpsons."

    Hear Hear.

    Simpsons used to be about pitch perfect observations on family life, often quite sweet but always hilarious at the same time. While they often got into crazy situations, they always stemmed from a recognisable dynamic of everyday life, and always returned to this truth by the end of the episode.

    The last few seasons have leaned heavily on celebrity cameos (Often of quite obscure US celebs rather than real A-list stars) They have also focused on Homer getting into increasingly 'zany' exploits which have grown less and less funny at the expense of the other characters and the core family unit.

  • PlugMonkey #22 5 years ago

    "Point 1 : All movie/tv license games are traditionally shit. "

    Here we go again. The Lord of the Rings games were uniformally good across three different genres. Chronicles of Riddick was excellent. Goldeneye is generally held up as one of the best games ever made.

    Back to the movie, it's just been held up by some people who have seen some of it, and who were equally as cynical and sceptical as everyone else, as a potentially spectacular return to form.

    The response? Immediately bag it because other episodes have been bad, and the slapstick doesn't come across in text.

    Likewise, high hopes are being held for a game with a truly excellent concept. The response? Immediately bag it because other licensed games have been bad.

    You're right though. Maybe it's not the internet. Maybe it's humanity in general. But it mostly seems to crop up on the internet. I'll leave you two to it. You just about deserve each other.

  • WinstonChurchill #23 5 years ago

    One can only hope that the trailers are meant to draw in the crude humour and casual comedy fan rather than anyone who genuinely loves/loved the Simpsons, because 80 minutes of Spiderpig will be the equivalent of Star Wars Episode 1 to a large generation (myself included).

  • afghan_jones #24 5 years ago

    @Plugmonkey,

    yes those games were good, but they probably equate to around 0.01% of the movie/tv licences, the rest of which were crap. the simpsons movie licences have generally been very very poor.

    The 'slapstick' referred to sounds frankly horrible, as does the involvement of Green Day.

    I'll wait it out but if you genuinely believe this game will be good, then I think you will be bitterly disappointed. Maybe you should print out your comments and pin them to your wall, then when the film and the game turn out to be awful, you can use the printed pages to wipe up your salty tears of anguish.


    @WinstonCHurchill

    Exactly. Every trailer, tv spot etc i have seen for this film looks like it will continue in the same vein as the recent series' which have been steadily going downhill. I suspect that this film will prove to be a bitter repast for anyone who truly lived the Simpsons as they were in their glory days. The Episode 1 analogy is spot on.

  • PlugMonkey #25 5 years ago

    I don't think they're going to be good. I don't think they're going to be awful. I am maintaining an open mind. And when a generally trustworthy news source tells me not to give up hope I take that as a good, rather than a bad sign. No tears of anguish. Just tears of frustration when a comment in an article that says "We've seen some of this and it's good!" receives the reply "No, you're wrong! I haven't seen any of it and it's rubbish!".

    Frankly, what the hell the quality of other Simpsons games made by other developers has to do with the potential quality of future releases is utterly beyond me. The Simpsons producers and EA have both been responsible for some really good stuff in the past. Holding off panning their future releases until I've actually seen some of it doesn't seem totally unreasonable, especially in the face of a positive write up.

  • DUFFMAN5 #26 5 years ago

    Why are people so down on the Simpsons, has it not brought you many,many happy years of fun ?
    Ok it's not as great as the glory days 1989-1997,(what is) BUT and I don't mean Seymor Butts, within every episode there will be a moment of brilliance, that is worth the admittance fee alone. I have been watching since 89 and will always do so as I'm loyal, just like I only own BMW's and will support Arsenal til I die (....I know that sounds shite!) even though we have lost T.H. and many others. Back to the Simpsons, I hope the game is good and expect it to be so. I loved Grand Theft Simpsons aka Hit and Run, and thought it deserved a follow up with some added extra thinking/planning time to make it even better. Let us see what this game plays like before we judge it. I do think all Simpsons games in the future should be cell shaded.
    While we are talking about cartoons, you have to try and watch King of the Hill, it is totally class.
    Have a lovely evening, watch the simpsons and get on your 360's....great machine.OH YEAH!

    p.s. Crackdown is great

  • afghan_jones #27 5 years ago

    @Plugmonkey

    The quality of past simpsons games has a lot to do with this one. Obviously the developer has changed but past experience shows that when a developer takes this licence, goes away and comes back with a shitty game, Fox/Groening dont turn round and say, "wait a second, I want you to really use the potential of this licence rather than just rape it for a quick buck"

    @DUFFMAN5

    Im very skeptical about this game and film purely because the last few series have really lacked the charm of the Simpsons in their golden years. the previews of the film so far hae indicated that they will continue in the same way and for those of us who really enjoyed the Simpsons at their peak, this film is shaping up to be a real shame.

  • PlugMonkey #28 5 years ago

    "Journalists almost never gush over anything after a nice publicity event, especially not after a friendly chin-wag with the man at the helm. Or DO they? OR do they? Or do THEY? etc."

    So you don't think the EG staff liking it is a good sign? If they'd hated it, would that be a good sign? Or are there no good signs in your happy little world?

    I appear to have very similar tastes to EG in many things, that's why I read the site. If you're just going to assume they're lying all the time, why bother reading it? In fact, why bother reading anything? Why not just lay down and die where you are? I mean, take it with a pinch of salt by all means, but to just assume they're lying just because they're journos seems a bit harsh. Sometimes things turn out to be not shit!

  • PlugMonkey #29 5 years ago

    "guess which six pitches were turned down in favour of some utterly terrible genre mishmash of platforming and stealth sections?"

    I feel like I'm going mad.

    But this time one of the six pitches suggesting some kind of parody of gaming and gaming culture has been selected. That's what we've been told they're doing. That's good, isn't it? Or is it? I don't even know any more.

    Afghan - But, say, Tomb Raider was rubbish for ages. Does that mean it's still rubbish now? The last Fallout games were crap, so the Bethesda one will be too? It's all so confusing. I think I'll just give up.

    By the way, how many of you thought Die Hard 4 would be any good? I was pretty sceptical, but I'm sure glad I didn't join the throngs of internet numpties bad mouthing it a year ago. Byeeee!

  • DUFFMAN5 #30 5 years ago

    Hi Afghan_jones
    I think the three pro-mo's for the film have been brilliant. Have a look on youtube, if you haven't seen them. Each to their own but surely you are not saying the Homer and Huskies skit isn't funny or the angry mob scene, for that matter Spider-pig. I'm sure you want the film to be great and I really think it could/will be, as for the game, It is of no concern, I will buy and play until the end. Someone mentioned the Family Guy game.....they are right such a shame. Futurama was a good game on the xbox, so I do think it can be achieved. A Simpsons role playing or even an action RPG (thinking of Zelda style) would e the ultimate game. I'm sure I have played some good, or above average Spongebob games.

  • afghan_jones #31 5 years ago

    @Plugmonkey.

    You just said fallout was crap. you automatically lose all debates/arguments etc.

    @DUFFMAN5

    I am a massive massive futurama fan and even then I found the game grating. 6/10 at best. hearing fry say "Finally, Im as rich as the pope!" every time he picked up money was funny the first couple of times but painful after 200.

  • PlugMonkey #32 5 years ago

    Afghan - you liked brotherhood of steel? Each to their own.

    I just saw this post of yours on the EA Wii controls thread:

    The Wii interface now has to be made easier because it's imprecise and fiddly. I laugh bitterly at the Ninty-sheep.

    Sorry I tried talking to you afghan. It was obviously a waste of time as I now see you are clearly just a dickhead.

  • afghan_jones #33 5 years ago

    @Plugmonkey

    Clearly you are jealous of my mighty virile forehead-penis. I know it makes you feel insecure but thats ok. I'm sure your genital free forhead works just fine, even though girls laugh at you behind your back for not having a huge dongle waving in the wind.

  • PlugMonkey #34 5 years ago

    LOL

    It's all true. \/_\/

    My secret shame.