Hazelight director Josef Fares has recently addressed the studio's relationship with EA and shared exciting news about their next project. Known for his candid remarks, including the infamous "f*** the Oscars" comment, Fares discussed Hazelight's journey on the Friends Per Second podcast. Fans of their latest critically acclaimed co-op adventure, Split Fiction, will be thrilled to learn that the team is already brainstorming ideas for their next game.
Fares expressed his forward-thinking approach, stating, "For me, personally, every time a game is out, I’m kind of done with it. I’m kind of like, ‘OK, here’s the next thing.’" He highlighted the exceptional reception of Split Fiction, noting it as the best-received game Hazelight has produced to date. Despite this success, Fares and his team are already deeply engaged with their upcoming project, having started work about a month ago.
While Fares kept details about the new game under wraps, he emphasized the early stage of development, saying, "There is a reason why I can’t talk about the next game; it’s because it’s quite early. You do know, at Hazelight, we don’t work on [a] game more than three or four years. Three or four years is not so far away. Then we’re going to talk more about it." He assured fans that the team is brimming with excitement about the new project.
A Tale of Two Studios
Over the past seven years, Hazelight has collaborated with publisher EA on several titles, including A Way Out and It Takes Two, cementing its reputation as a leading developer. Fares clarified the nature of their relationship with EA, stating, "Here’s the thing, people don’t understand this: EA is a supporter. We don’t pitch games to them. We say, ‘We’re going to do this.’ That’s it. They have zero, and I mean zero, thing to say about what we’re doing next."
Despite EA's mixed reputation, Fares praised their partnership, saying, "With that said, I have to say, they’re a good partner. Nobody believes me. Whatever I say, they’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah. It’s EA.’ Look, I don’t know anything about what EA are doing. Maybe they’re f***ing up with other developers. With us, no. They respect us. They respect what we do. I’m very clear with them that they cannot interfere with what we do. Now, we have become one of their most successful studios."
Split Fiction has not only received high praise from critics, with IGN awarding it a 9/10, but it has also achieved remarkable commercial success. The game sold 1 million copies within 48 hours and 2 million copies in just one week, surpassing the sales pace of its predecessor, It Takes Two, which had sold 20 million copies by October 2024.
