Hazelight's director, Josef Fares, recently clarified his studio's relationship with EA and shared exciting news about their upcoming projects during an interview on the Friends Per Second podcast. Known for his candid remarks, including the infamous “f\*\*\* the Oscars” comment, Fares discussed the past, present, and future of Hazelight, the studio behind the critically acclaimed co-op adventure Split Fiction.
Fares expressed his forward-thinking 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 highlighted the success of Split Fiction, noting it as the best-received game Hazelight has produced to date. Despite this, his focus is already shifting to new ventures, with early ideas for the next game in development.
While Fares remained tight-lipped about the specifics of Hazelight's next title—due to the project being in its infancy, having started about a month ago—he emphasized the studio's excitement and commitment to their new endeavor. He mentioned that Hazelight typically completes games within three to four years, hinting that more details will be shared as the project progresses.
A Tale of Two Studios
Over the past seven years, Hazelight has collaborated with EA on several successful titles, including A Way Out and It Takes Two. Fares clarified that EA acts as a supportive partner rather than a director of their creative process, 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 sometimes controversial reputation, Fares praised their partnership, noting, “With that said, I have to say, they’re a good partner... 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, with IGN awarding it a 9/10, but it also achieved remarkable sales figures, selling 1 million copies within 48 hours and 2 million copies in just one week. This success outpaces their previous title, It Takes Two, which had sold 20 million copies by October 2024, further cementing Hazelight's position as a leading developer in the gaming industry.
