The end of The Simpsons: Tapped Out
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
As the world continues to change and life carries forth, there comes a time when we must accept that all experiences are finite—that life itself is an exercise in embracing the minute. Many of us have come to know this feeling well, seeing our childhoods fizzle out with time, giving us little means to savor what we once had. In chasing adulthood, we forget to reflect on those elements that influenced our upbringing, regardless of how small. Whether this be an app or a favorite television show, everyone has something that calls back to the “bygone era,” one they wish to re-experience for a plethora of reasons.
That said, for me, this was an app released on Android and iOS devices in 2012 called The Simpsons: Tapped Out—a title based on the iconic and extensive cartoon sitcom, The Simpsons (1989- ). Many readers have seen this show in passing, whether by viewing the titular family get up to various antics over the last 36 years in their hometown of Springfield on their TV, or by playing their various spin-off games, where much of the same occurs.
This handheld app is one of their most overlooked facets, for seemingly no good reason. It is a make-your-own-world style game in which you are thrown into creating a version of Springfield from scratch, incorporating more iconic characters by completing questlines. It is an app that tries to be a tribute to the series, encapsulating nearly every character from every season and spin-off within its code, regardless of their obscurity. It is a game I have played on and off since 2014—when I was ten years old—and one near and dear to my heart.
On Sept. 26, 2024, EA—the company that owns the license to this particular game—announced through an update harrowing news: “Sadly, in-app purchases have been disabled, and the game will no longer be available from the App Store after October 31, 2024. You may continue playing until January 24, 2025. Then the game will no longer be accessible. We bid you adieu. Until we meet again…”
They continue this with an explanation on their official Facebook page: “The decision to end our twelve-year journey is an emotional one. Together with our partners at The Simpsons™ and The Walt Disney Company, we have delighted in bringing this game to you, the fans…and we are grateful that we’ve been able to deliver 308 updates, 831 characters and including today’s final farewell of 1,463 questlines.”
To many, including myself, this came as an utter shock. The app has continued creating in-depth stories and expanding its roster with every new show season, acting as a small, ever-reconnectable piece of nostalgia for a show I am fond of. Yet, like all things, the experience can not last forever, even if the source material continues to be produced, as The Simpsons (1989- ) is currently releasing another season; rumors spreading of this being its last as there is no renewal yet for season 37.
Though this announcement serves as a grim reminder of life’s impermanent experiences, it is also a bittersweet reminder that, as with all things, our comforts will not always remain in their stagnant states.
For years, most fans have felt that The Simpsons (1989- ) was a show that refused to die, like an everlasting stain that would not budge regardless of what you threw at it. As the show passed its era of high-quality, well-received episodes, many believed the show was entering the repetitive ground and perpetuating itself simply to get the showrunners a hefty concurrent paycheck. For example, Homer Simpson—the titular nuclear family father figure—became a trope of himself, repeating jokes and character beats that got the best reception from fans instead of the initial intent: To show a stereotypical middle-class father with incredibly blatant underlying issues; giving viewers a chance to know they aren’t alone like Bart or Lisa feel at various occasions. This initial intent has become so obscured over time that various writers have had to step in.
Like Homer Simpson, maybe The Simpsons: Tapped Out is just another facet of this franchise that must be secluded to the past to preserve its initial intent—the initial comfort—brought with the show. Though it may be hard to accept, nostalgia can be a warm embrace far better than anything the present can throw at us. We are all changing, and amidst all of this, life continues to change. In the face of such uncertainty, we must not let the sorrow of the impermeant overcome our being; we must stare change in the face with adversity smeared across our being.
Now, if you, like myself, fear such change, you can prevent The Simpsons: Tapped Out from being taken offline by signing a change.org petition. There is no guarantee that this petition will change anything, but it is a temporary means to quell the uncertainty this change brings. Whatever comes next, I say, embrace it with open arms, unafraid of what is lost or gained.