Josef Fares, the often-outspoken founder of Hazelight Studios and director of the upcoming *Split Fiction*, recently offered a stout defense of his long-time publishing partner, Electronic Arts. Despite the publisher’s historically strained relationship with consumers, Fares, who has collaborated with EA on three titles, provided a thoughtful defense during a recent chat with The Game Business.
Fares emphasized that the public often overlooks the positive aspects of the corporation, stating that there are “a lot of great people at EA” who deeply respect Hazelight’s unique co-op focused creative vision. He specifically noted that EA grants his team the creative freedom necessary to develop their games without interference.
While acknowledging EA’s infamous past—including the dubious distinction of being named “Worst Company in America” by Consumerist in 2012 and 2013—Fares argued that they receive criticism disproportionate to their actual offenses. He bluntly noted that no publisher is infallible, suggesting that “there’s not a publisher in the world that hasn’t f****d up now and then.” Ultimately, the director concluded that, in his experience, EA is generally “getting more sh*t than they deserve.”