„They get more hate than they deserve.” Josef Fares comes to EA’s defense and points the finger at Sony and Nintendo

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People are being too harsh in their criticism of Electronic Arts, according to the developer behind some of the company’s popular cooperative games.

Gamers have long been critical of major video game companies, and recent layoffs and questionable decisions made by developers – often attributed to corporate interference – have only strengthened that feeling. Many players see company executives as the problem. Electronic Arts (EA) is a prime example of a company gamers often dislike, largely due to its history of acquiring and closing successful studios, and its involvement in controversies like aggressive in-game purchases.

EA no worse than other publishers

Despite a lot of criticism, Josef Fares, the creator of games like Split Fiction and It Takes Two, has defended Electronic Arts. He stated in March 2025 that he believes the company is often unfairly criticized.

Following that event, EA experienced a change in leadership that caused some debate. However, Fares continued to share his views in an interview with The Game Business.

EA has a lot of talented people who understand our process and generally let us do our work. Honestly, every publisher makes mistakes – Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, everyone. But EA seems to get a disproportionate amount of criticism. It feels like they’re unfairly singled out as the ‘bad guy’ when others have also made missteps.

We’re really happy with how things are going. I’m being completely honest – I would have said if it wasn’t a positive experience. We have a strong working relationship. That said, like any publisher, they’ve inevitably made some mistakes along the way.

I was really glad to hear Fares address the idea that EA is just full of corporate people who don’t ‘get’ games. He made it clear he’s working with a team of passionate gamers, and thankfully, EA is letting Hazelight do its thing without a lot of interference. It’s good to know they’re supporting the creative process!

Fares isn’t simply pro-corporate. He’s also worried that publishers are too quick to jump on the latest trends. He pointed to the way some companies seemed to move away from big-budget games after smaller, less expensive titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 found success. Other developers have voiced similar concerns, suggesting that what seems like a safe bet isn’t always the best choice.

However, it’s doubtful players will agree with Fares’ views on Electronic Arts after this interview, particularly since the company just brought up a previous mistake.

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2026-01-14 14:32