Split Fiction Director Cautions Against Misinterpretations of Clair Obscur

Releasing a game is like placing a wager on the developers’ ability to deliver and on whether players will be interested enough to buy it. To mitigate risks, those funding the projects keep an eye on the industry for trends that seem like safe bets. Developers then highlight successful titles, arguing that their own projects can replicate that success. Josef Fares, director of Split Fiction, expresses concern that the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 could narrow the industry’s focus.

“You hear a lot about how double-A games are taking over after the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,” Fares noted. “But I can’t imagine gaming without triple-A titles. I crave those blockbuster experiences. You can’t create something like GTA on a ten million dollar budget. We need both.”

He emphasized the importance of diversity in gaming, cautioning against the notion that double-A or indie games are the only way forward. “I hope publishers don’t see the success of Expedition 33 and think, ‘let’s only focus on double-A games.’ That’s not the answer. There were plenty of double-A games released this year that didn’t resonate with anyone. Let’s not forget that.”

Fares is spot on. For every hit like Space Marine 2, there are titles like Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden or Immortals of Aveum that fail to make an impact, regardless of their quality. The industry often gravitates toward specific successes or genre innovations, attempting to replicate them, which leads to a flood of similar MMOs, MOBAs, card games, or hero shooters in the years that follow.

He cites Rockstar Games, Naughty Dog, and Nintendo as examples of companies in the AAA space that still take creative risks. In contrast, Electronic Arts is often criticized for its reliance on annual sports franchise sequels filled with microtransactions. However, Fares believes EA sometimes gets an unfair amount of criticism.

“There are many talented people at EA,” he shared. “They understand our process, respect it, and give us the freedom we need.” He added, “EA gets more negativity than it deserves. Other companies make mistakes too, but for some reason, EA has become the scapegoat.” Fares continued, “For us, the collaboration is fantastic. I’m honest about it. If it were bad, I’d say so, but we have a great working relationship.”

This positive relationship may stem from Hazelight’s success, with their co-op action-adventure games selling millions of copies, appealing even to those who might not consider themselves hardcore gamers. It Takes Two has sold over 20 million copies, while Split Fiction surpassed 4 million in its first few months.

Fares also mentioned that his studio bases all decisions on what will create the best gaming experience, which currently doesn’t involve generative AI. “When Midjourney launched, it was impressive, but five years later, the advancements haven’t been significant,” he remarked. “Maybe that’s the limit. You can generate a game concept and speculate about the future, but who knows? In five years, it might be like Midjourney—still not much better.”

He believes that games need a strong creative vision at their core, something that a chatbot can’t provide—at least not yet. While Fares doesn’t foresee AI taking over anytime soon, he acknowledges the uncertainty of the future. “Who knows what’s coming next?” I’ll confidently say that regardless of the developments in generative AI, EA will keep churning out sports games, and Hazelight will likely deliver another hit co-op title in a few years.