Hazelight's director, Josef Fares, recently took the opportunity to clarify his studio's relationship with EA and shared exciting news about their next project. Known for his candid remarks, including the now-famous "f\*\*\* the Oscars" statement, 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 emphasized that while Split Fiction has been exceptionally well-received, his focus and excitement are now directed towards the studio's upcoming project. Although work on the new game began just a month ago, Fares is brimming with enthusiasm but kept details under wraps due to the early stage of development.
"There is a reason why I can’t talk about the next game; it’s because it’s quite early," Fares noted. He reassured fans that Hazelight typically completes a game within three to four years, hinting that more information will be forthcoming as the project progresses. "It’s way too early, but just know this: we are very, very, very, very excited here. Very excited, and we started working on this a month ago-ish."
A Tale of Two Studios
Over the past seven years, Hazelight has collaborated with publisher EA on several successful titles, including A Way Out and It Takes Two. Fares clarified that EA's role is purely supportive, with no influence over the games Hazelight chooses to develop. "Here’s the thing, people don’t understand this: EA is a supporter. We don’t pitch games to them," he explained. "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 varied reputation in the industry, Fares praised their partnership, stating, "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, earning a 9/10 from IGN, 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.
