Split Fiction streamers have unlocked an exciting opportunity by conquering the challenging "Laser Hell" secret stage, earning themselves a trip to Hazelight Studios. Dive into the details of this thrilling challenge and discover what Hazelight Studios has planned following the game's triumphant launch.
Split Fiction Continues With More Surprises
First Players to Finish "Laser Hell" Challenge Earn a Trip to Hazelight Studios
Following its successful debut last month, Split Fiction continues to captivate players with hidden gems like the "Laser Hell" stage. This notoriously tough challenge was recently mastered by Chinese streamers sharkOvO and E1uM4y, who shared their triumph on BiliBili. To unlock this stage, players must input a precise sequence of switch presses on the elevator in the Isolation level, leading them to a laser-filled platform.
Their success was met with a congratulatory video from Hazelight's founder, Josef Fares, who admitted that even many of the game's developers struggled with the level. Fares extended an invitation to the duo to visit Hazelight Studios in Sweden, a promise he reaffirmed on Twitter (X) on March 19, saying, "Congrats to 'sharkOvO' and 'E1uM4y' for finishing the secret challenge 'Laser Hell' in #splitfiction. VERY impressive! I will keep my promise and invite you both to Sweden for an early look at our next game. We'll be in touch!"
Hazelight Studios Working On Its Next Game
In a recent interview on The Friends Per Second podcast on March 17, Josef Fares discussed Hazelight's ongoing relationship with publisher EA and hinted at the studio's next project. Fares expressed that while every game release feels like a milestone, Split Fiction has been particularly well-received. "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.’ This has been a bit extra special. I would say that it’s been the best-received game we have done, but to be honest, everybody is super happy, but I’m so fully-focused and excited on the next thing that we already have started."
Although Fares kept details about the new project under wraps, he mentioned that Hazelight typically works on a game for three to four years. "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. 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."
Regarding their partnership with EA, Fares clarified, "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." He emphasized EA's supportive role, stating that despite any negative perceptions of the publisher, EA respects Hazelight's creative autonomy. "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."
First Update and Hitting 2 Million Sales in 1 Week
On March 17, Split Fiction received its first update, addressing several community-identified issues. This update included fixes for in-game mechanics, minor online play glitches, and improvements in localization and subtitles across all languages.
Moreover, Split Fiction achieved a significant milestone by selling over 2 million copies within just one week of its release. This impressive figure outpaces the sales of Hazelight's 2021 Game of the Year Award winner, It Takes Two, which sold 1 million copies a few weeks post-launch and reached 20 million by October 2024.
Split Fiction is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news on the game by checking out our article below!
