Hazelight's director, Josef Fares, recently provided clarity on his studio's relationship with EA and shared exciting news about their next project. Known for his candid nature and the memorable "f\*\*\* the Oscars" comment, Fares discussed Hazelight's journey and future plans on the Friends Per Second podcast. Following the success of their latest co-op adventure, Split Fiction, Fares revealed that the team is already brainstorming ideas for their next endeavor.
Fares expressed his approach to game development, 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 has swiftly shifted to the studio's upcoming project. Although he couldn't divulge many details about the new game—due to it being in the very early stages of development, having started just a month ago—he assured fans that the team is brimming with excitement.
Fares hinted at the timeline for the next game, noting, "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." This suggests fans might hear more concrete details in the near future.
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. Fares clarified that EA has no say in the creative decisions at Hazelight, emphasizing, "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 often scrutinized reputation, 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 proven to be a monumental success for Hazelight, not only receiving high praise from critics, with IGN awarding it a 9/10, but also achieving impressive sales figures. The game sold 1 million copies in just 48 hours and reached 2 million copies within a week, surpassing the sales pace of its predecessor, It Takes Two, which had sold 20 million copies by October 2024.
