Josef Fares Defends EA, Claims They Deserve More Respect Than Criticism

Hazelight's outspoken studio founder Josef Fares believes EA has been unfairly vilified compared to other publishers, stating: "There's not a publisher in the world that hasn't messed up now and then." Fares, whose studio has collaborated with EA on all three of its titles – A Way Out, It Takes Two, and Split Fiction – has emphasized that without a positive relationship with EA, Hazelight would reconsider its partnership.

In an interview, Fares remarked, "There are a lot of great people at EA. They respect how we work and allow us the freedom to be creative." He expressed that EA receives unwarranted criticism, highlighting that every major company, including Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony, has had its missteps.

He pointed out that despite EA's mistakes, their partnership has been beneficial. "If it was bad, I would have said that in this interview as well. But we have a great relationship," he asserted. Fares shared that the individuals he interacts with at EA are gamers themselves, not just corporate executives, and insisted that Hazelight would continue to operate on its own terms.

The recent villainization of EA may stem from their $55 billion acquisition by Saudi Arabia and private equity firms, which has raised concerns about human rights issues linked to the country. This acquisition has generated public outcry, particularly from gaming unions and human rights advocates. Over the weekend, EA reassured its community that "the values of The Sims are unchanged" after several prominent content creators distanced themselves from the company amidst acquisition concerns.

Hazelight's latest game, Split Fiction, has been met with critical acclaim, with a five-star review commending it as an inventive co-op experience. The game achieved impressive sales, moving 1 million units within the first 48 hours and reaching another million by the end of the first week. It also set three world records for local co-op video games on Steam.

A film adaptation of Split Fiction, featuring Sydney Sweeney, was also announced, with Jon M Chu of Wicked fame slated to direct.