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

Hazelight's director, Josef Fares, has recently clarified his studio's relationship with EA and announced that the team behind the successful games It Takes Two and Split Fiction is already working on their next project. Known for his candid nature, as seen in his infamous "f*** the Oscars" comment, Fares discussed Hazelight's journey and future plans during an interview on the Friends Per Second podcast. For fans of their latest critically acclaimed co-op adventure, Split Fiction, Fares revealed that the team is beginning to brainstorm ideas for their next endeavor.

Fares expressed 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. Despite this success, Fares and his team are fully focused on their next project, which they started working on approximately a month ago.

While Fares kept details about the new game under wraps due to its early stage, he assured fans that Hazelight typically works on a game for three to four years. "There is a reason why I can’t talk about the next game; it’s because it’s quite early," he explained. He hinted at the team's excitement and promised more information as the project progresses.

A Tale of Two Studios

Over the past seven years, Hazelight has collaborated with EA on several titles, including A Way Out and It Takes Two, cementing its reputation as a top developer in the gaming industry. Fares clarified that EA acts solely as a supporter, with no input on the games Hazelight chooses to develop. "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 noted. "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, 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 performance outpaces their previous hit, It Takes Two, which had sold 20 million copies by October 2024.