The Simpsons showrunner Al Jean has revealed that seasons of the animated sitcom will no longer be released on DVD.

Responding to fan queries on Twitter , Jean explained that it was no longer viable to keep the DVDs going as the "market is dying", thanks, in part, to piracy. He did, however, explain that episode commentaries - for many, the primary reason to buy the boxsets in the first place - would still be recorded for FX.For those who live outside the US and can't access FX or its Simpsons World app, the news is less than ideal. However, Jean has promised they will "keep pushing" to "get everything available to all".We've reached out to Fox Home Entertainment to find out if the decision also pertains to Blu-ray (it seems likely it does).Season 1 of The Simpsons was released on DVD back in 2001. The seventeenth season was released December of last year.

Lucy O'Brien is Entertainment Editor at IGN’s AU office. Follow her ramblings on Twitter.