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

Hazelight Studios founder and director Josef Fares recently offered a candid update on his studio’s creative direction, its relationship with EA, and what's ahead for the future of Hazelight. Known for crafting emotionally rich, co-op-focused experiences like *It Takes Two* and *Split Fiction*, Fares confirmed that the team has already begun work on its next unannounced project.

During an appearance on the Friends Per Second podcast, where he also reflected on his now-viral “f*** the Oscars” moment, Fares shared insights into how quickly the team moves on to new ideas after each release. While *Split Fiction* was arguably the studio’s most successful launch yet, he made it clear that the excitement around the next game is already in full swing.

“For me personally, every time a game is out, I’m kind of done with it. I’m like, ‘OK, here’s the next thing,’”

Fares explained. He noted that while *Split Fiction* has been the best-received title Hazelight has released so far, the team is already deep in ideation for what comes next—even if details are still under wraps.

At this stage, Fares didn’t disclose any specifics about the upcoming title—not even the genre or theme—citing that development officially kicked off only about a month ago. However, fans can take comfort in knowing that Hazelight’s signature passion and innovation remain intact.

“There is a reason why I can’t talk about the next game; it’s because it’s quite early,”

Fares said. “You do know, at Hazelight, we don’t work on a game more than three or four years. Three or four years isn’t 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. Very excited, and we started working on this a month ago-ish.”

EA and Hazelight: A Creative Partnership

Over the past seven years, Hazelight has partnered with Electronic Arts (EA) for the development of several titles, including *A Way Out*, *It Takes Two*, and most recently *Split Fiction*. Despite EA’s polarizing reputation in some developer circles, Fares insists the collaboration has been overwhelmingly positive.

He clarified that EA plays no role in dictating Hazelight’s creative decisions—a point he emphasized strongly during the interview:

“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.”

While acknowledging public skepticism, Fares stood by his experience working with EA, noting their respect for Hazelight’s independence and vision.

“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: A New Benchmark

Since its launch, *Split Fiction* has not only received critical acclaim—including a 9/10 from IGN—but also shattered sales expectations. The game sold 1 million copies within just 48 hours and doubled that number within a week, marking a faster pace than its predecessor, *It Takes Two*, which had reached 20 million lifetime sales as of October 2024.

This success underscores Hazelight’s growing influence in the gaming industry and reinforces its position as a leading innovator in co-op gameplay design. While fans wait patiently for news of the next chapter, one thing is certain: Hazelight remains fully committed to pushing creative boundaries—and doing it on their own terms.