Split Fiction Director Says EA Deserves Better Than Its “Bad Guy” Reputation

Josef Fares, the founder of Hazelight Studios and director of Split Fiction, is speaking up for Electronic Arts, arguing that the gaming giant receives unfair criticism compared to other major publishers. EA has published all three of Hazelight’s games with A Way Out, It Takes Two, and Split Fiction and Fares says the partnership remains strong despite the studio’s independent reputation and EA’s corporate image.

In a recent interview with The Game Business, Fares addressed questions about how his rebellious studio works with a major publisher like EA. His response was direct and positive.

“There are a lot of great people at EA,” Fares said. “They know how we work. They respect it and they leave us be. Let’s be honest, there’s not a publisher in the world that hasn’t messed up now and then.”

Fares pointed out that while EA has become known as the industry’s “bad guy,” other major companies like Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony have all made mistakes too.

“Sometimes I feel that EA is getting more shit than they deserve,” he explained. “For us, it’s a super good collaboration. I’m very open about it. If it was bad, I would’ve said that in this interview as well.”

The director emphasized that the EA employees he works with are genuine gamers who love games, not just corporate executives. He also assured fans that Hazelight maintains its creative freedom, saying “people should not worry, because Hazelight will do always what it wants.”

Split Fiction, released in March 2025, has been a commercial success, selling 4 million copies within roughly two months. The co-op game follows two writers as they journey through levels based on their unpublished stories. Reviews have praised its visuals and varied gameplay mechanics, though some noted the story didn’t always match the quality of the gameplay.

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