Josef Fares, the creator of It Takes Two and the forthcoming Damage up Fiction, stated that Hazelight Studios will likely never create a live-service game.
“We will not engage in that, I have no faith in them,” Fares remarked in an interview with Eurogamer. “I believe that [live service] is not the proper direction to take. I hope more and more [developers] concentrate on their passion and what they truly believe in.”
Fares elaborated that he acknowledges the financial strains associated with producing live-service games, but stressed the importance of not losing sight of creativity. He maintains that there must be equilibrium between financial gain and artistic expression, as developers cannot merely request $100 million in funding and expect to create whatever they desire.
He cited the success Hazelight has experienced as evidence that “trusting in your vision” can still result in a “large audience.” Last year, Hazelight announced that It Takes Two had exceeded 20 million units sold.
Various studios have recently adopted the live-service model with mixed results. PlayStation launched its live-service initiative a couple of years back. While Helldivers 2 surpassed expectations, titles such as Concord struggled and several other games faced cancellation, including Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us multiplayer title and allegedly a God of War live-service project.
Bungie’s Joe Tung expressed that the live-service model is superior to the traditional $60 boxed system, as it allows developers to prioritize what is best for gamers over time. In a recent earnings call, Ubisoft stated that it intends to intensify its efforts on both live-service games and open-world adventure titles.
Fares also recently shared his views on AI and its impact on the gaming industry, stating that it is important to learn how to integrate AI and other emerging technologies into the development process.
Hazelight’s previous title, It Takes Two, won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021. The studio’s next game, Damage up Fiction, is set to release on March 6 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Like Hazelight’s previous works, Damage up Fiction is a cooperative adventure title featuring two characters, Zoe and Mio, as they navigate through realms filled with fantasy and sci-fi elements in order to survive.
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