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

Hazelight's director, Josef Fares, recently addressed the studio's relationship with EA and provided exciting updates on their future projects during an interview on the Friends Per Second podcast. Known for his candidness, including the memorable "f\*\*\* the Oscars" statement, Fares shared insights into Hazelight’s past successes and what lies ahead. Following the critical acclaim and commercial success of their latest co-op adventure, Split Fiction, Fares confirmed that the team is already brainstorming ideas for their next game.

Fares expressed his forward-thinking mindset, 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 the best-received game Hazelight has produced, his focus and excitement are now directed towards the next project, which the team began working on approximately a month ago.

While Fares remained tight-lipped about the details of Hazelight's upcoming title, he hinted at the studio's commitment to delivering innovative co-op experiences. He noted, "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." He reassured fans of their enthusiasm and dedication, saying, "We are very, very, very, very excited here. Very excited."

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 the nature of their partnership, 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 varied reputation in the gaming industry, Fares described his experience with the publisher as overwhelmingly positive, highlighting their respect for Hazelight's creative autonomy.

Fares praised EA, saying, "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 not only garnered high praise from critics, with IGN awarding it a 9/10 in their review, but it has also achieved remarkable commercial success. The game sold 1 million copies within 48 hours of its release and reached 2 million copies sold in just one week, surpassing the sales pace of its predecessor, It Takes Two, which had sold 20 million copies by October 2024.