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

Hazelight's director, Josef Fares, recently took the opportunity to clarify his studio's relationship with EA and shared exciting news about their upcoming projects. Fares, famously known for his candid "f*** the Oscars" comment, discussed Hazelight's journey and future plans on the Friends Per Second podcast. Following the success of their latest co-op adventure, Split Fiction, Fares revealed that the team is already brainstorming ideas for their next game.

Reflecting on the release of Split Fiction, Fares expressed his eagerness to move on to new projects. "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 stated, emphasizing his focus on future endeavors. Despite Split Fiction being Hazelight's best-received game to date, Fares and his team are brimming with excitement about what's next, having started work on it just a month ago.

While Fares kept details about Hazelight's next title under wraps due to its early stage, he assured fans that more information would be shared in the coming years. Known for their impactful contributions to co-op gaming, Hazelight typically spends three to four years on a project, hinting that fans won't have to wait too long before learning more.

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 emphasized that EA acts as a supportive partner rather than a directive force in their creative process. "Here’s the thing, people don’t understand this: EA is a supporter. We don’t pitch games to them," he explained. "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 praised their partnership, noting that EA respects Hazelight's autonomy. "With that said, I have to say, they’re a good partner," Fares 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.