Split Fiction’s Josef Fares Has “Already Started” Next Game, Clarifies Relationship With EA

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Hazelight just released Split Fiction, and the game is getting rave reviews and has sold more than 2 million copies so far. Everyone always wants to know what’s next, and now director Josef Fares has confirmed Hazelight is already at work on its next project. Fares also discussed Hazelight’s partnership with EA, saying the company is a good, respectful partner.

“Split Fiction is the best-received game we have done, everybody is super happy, but I’m so fully focused and excited on the next thing,” he said on the Friends Per Second podcast (via Culture Crave). “We’ve already started.” He also confirmed work began about a month ago.

Fares didn’t reveal specific details about Hazelight Studio’s upcoming project, which is still in its early stages of development. However, he expressed a sense of optimism and excitement among the team, hinting that they believe they can produce something even better with their next game, regardless of what it may be.

“It’s not like we’re feeling now, ‘Oh, shit, how will we top [Split Fiction] or do better than this?’ We just feel like… just wait until [you see] what we do next. I know it’s cocky. But that’s how confident we feel in what we’re doing,” he said.

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So far, Fares has overseen the production of four games: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, A Way Out, It Takes Two, and Split Fiction. Among these, It Takes Two has achieved the most significant success, with a staggering 23 million copies sold. In contrast, Split Fiction, which had nearly twice its initial budget, managed to sell 2 million copies in just its first week of release.

TopMob’s Split Fiction review scored the game a 10/10. The game is published by EA through its EA Originals program; it’s the first EA-published game to reach 90 or above on Metacritic since 2012’s Mass Effect 2.

All of Hazelight’s games so far have been co-op titles. Fares said co-op will always be part of Hazelight’s DNA, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of the studio changing things up. “You never know what happens in the future. It’s not impossible we look into single-player as well. But it would be done in a Hazelight way, with a Hazelight twist. It’s not going to be your typical single-player game.”

In the interview, Fares clarified Hazelight’s connection with EA. He explained that Hazelight does not propose ideas to EA; instead, they take charge and say, “We will do this,” as per Fares’ statement. EA has no involvement in determining what Hazelight plans to do next.

Fares said it might be true that EA is “f**king up” its partnerships with other companies, but not Hazelight. They respect us. They respect what we do. I am very clear with them that they cannot interfere with what we do.”

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2025-03-18 16:51