Hazelight studio head Josef Fares recently clarified his studio's relationship with EA and revealed that development on their next game has already begun. In a Friends Per Second podcast interview, Fares, known for his memorable "f** the Oscars" comment, discussed Hazelight's past, present, and future. He stated that while Split Fiction*, their latest critically acclaimed co-op adventure, has been exceptionally well-received, he's already fully focused on the next project, which is in its early stages. He emphasized that after each game's release, his focus immediately shifts to the next.
Fares remained tight-lipped about details regarding the upcoming title, citing the project's early development phase (approximately one month old). He confirmed that the new game is unlikely to be revealed for at least a few years, aligning with Hazelight's typical three-to-four-year development cycle. While he didn't divulge specifics, he expressed immense excitement about the project.
Addressing Hazelight's relationship with EA, Fares highlighted that EA acts purely as a supporter, not dictating the studio's creative direction. He stated that Hazelight doesn't pitch game ideas to EA; instead, they inform EA of their plans, with EA having zero influence on their creative decisions. Despite EA's sometimes controversial reputation, Fares described their partnership as positive and respectful, emphasizing EA's acknowledgment of Hazelight's success. He attributes Hazelight's success to EA's respect for their creative autonomy.
Split Fiction's success further solidifies Hazelight's position as a leading developer. The game achieved high critical acclaim, including a 9/10 from IGN, and impressive sales figures—1 million copies in 48 hours and 2 million in a week. While this surpasses Split Fiction's sales, it still falls significantly short of It Takes Two's 20 million copies sold (as of October 2024).
