Hazelight Studios, led by their dynamic founder and director, Josef Fares, has made a firm commitment to never include microtransactions in their games. In a candid recent interview, Fares laid out this promise while discussing various topics relating to the future of Hazelight, including whether the studio might ever be sold.
Originating in 2014, Hazelight Studios has become known for crafting some of the most engaging cooperative gaming experiences of recent times, despite having just two releases under its belt: “A Way Out” in 2018 and “It Takes Two” in 2021. The Swedish studio, based in Stockholm, is gearing up for its next venture with “Split Fiction,” slated for release on March 6, 2025.
In a recent chat with Ben Hanson from MinnMax, Josef Fares provided insights into Hazelight’s ethos and future plans. About halfway through the interview, Fares reiterated his stance on microtransactions, describing Hazelight’s approach to game design as fundamentally straightforward and uncluttered.
With the gaming industry currently experiencing a wave of acquisitions, Fares addressed these trends head-on. Despite some interest from potential buyers, he firmly stated that Hazelight is not on the market, and it will not go public either, standing staunchly independent in its operations.
In an interesting aside, Fares shared that “Split Fiction” was initially codenamed “Split.” While initially considering the title “Worlds Apart,” they ultimately settled on “Split Fiction,” feeling the former lacked distinction. His firm stance against prevalent trends like live-service models and NFTs echoes sentiments he’s expressed over the years. Back in late 2021, he didn’t mince words, dramatically stating that he’d rather face dire consequences than go down those routes.
An update on the studio’s growth was another key point from the interview; Hazelight has expanded by 23% from 2021, now employing around 80 people. As the complexity of creating games escalates, it’s foreseeable that Hazelight may further increase its workforce, particularly if “Split Fiction” matches or exceeds the acclaim and sales of its predecessors, “It Takes Two” and “A Way Out,” which have sold around 23 million and 9 million copies, respectively.
Source: Eurogamer
