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

Hazelight's director, Josef Fares, recently provided clarity on his studio's relationship with EA and announced that the team behind the critically acclaimed games It Takes Two and Split Fiction is already in the early stages of developing their next project. During an insightful interview on the Friends Per Second podcast, Fares, known for his candid comments such as the infamous "f*** the Oscars" line, discussed Hazelight's journey and future plans. Fans of Split Fiction, the studio's latest co-op adventure, will be pleased to know that the team is brainstorming fresh ideas for their upcoming title.

Fares shared 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 the special reception Split Fiction received, describing it as the best-received game Hazelight has produced to date. Despite this success, Fares's focus is already on the future, expressing excitement about the new project that began development roughly a month ago.

While Fares kept details about the new game under wraps, he mentioned that Hazelight typically completes a game within three to four years. He reassured fans that more information will be shared as the project progresses, saying, “There is a reason why I can’t talk about the next game; it’s because it’s quite early... 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.”

A Tale of Two Studios

Over the past seven years, Hazelight has collaborated with EA on several projects, including A Way Out and It Takes Two, solidifying its position as a top developer in the gaming industry. Fares emphasized that EA has had "zero" influence on the games Hazelight chooses to develop. He explained, “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 mixed reputation, Fares described his experience with the publisher as positive, highlighting their supportive role. He noted, “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 garnered high praise from critics, earning a 9/10 from IGN, but also achieved remarkable sales success. The game sold 1 million copies within 48 hours and reached 2 million copies sold in just one week, surpassing the sales pace of It Takes Two, which had sold 20 million copies by October 2024.