Hazelight Praises EA as 'Good Partner' Amid Next Game Development

Hazelight director Josef Fares has recently provided clarity on his studio's relationship with EA and announced that the team behind It Takes Two and Split Fiction is already hard at work on their next project. In an insightful interview on the Friends Per Second podcast, Fares, known for his candid remarks including the infamous "f*** the Oscars" comment, discussed the studio's journey and future endeavors. Fans of Split Fiction, Hazelight's latest critically acclaimed co-op adventure, will be pleased to know that the team is already brainstorming early concepts for their next game.

Fares shared his personal 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 and excitement are now directed towards the studio's upcoming project. Although Fares kept details about the new game under wraps, mentioning that work began just a month ago, he assured fans that Hazelight remains committed to delivering innovative co-op experiences.

"There is a reason why I can’t talk about the next game; it’s because it’s quite early," Fares explained. He noted that Hazelight typically spends no more than three or four years on a game, hinting that more information will be forthcoming in the near future. "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 the studio maintaining full creative control. "Here’s the thing, people don’t understand this: EA is a supporter. We don’t pitch games to them," he said. "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 the publisher for their positive relationship with Hazelight. "With that said, I have to say, they’re a good partner," he added. "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.