Josef Fares says video games studios should ‘stick to vision’

Think of video games, and you’ll probably think of something competitive.

Some of the most popular titles in the world, such as Fortnite and Call of Duty, are focused on outgunning, outrunning or outclassing opponents.

But, as Josef Fares and his studio Hazelight have shown, that’s not the only thing gamers want.

His latest, Split Fiction, is a collaborative experience where two players work together to solve puzzles and beat obstacles.

The adventure game has received rave reviews, sold one million copies in 48 hours and is currently among the most-watched titles on streaming platform Twitch.

It’s not a one-off. His previous title, It Takes Two, featured similar “couch co-op” gameplay and sold 20 million copies and won a Game of the Year Award.

What draws players to these friendlier experiences?

A report from analytics company Midia Research found that couch co-op was especially popular among people aged 16 to 24.

It surveyed 9,000 gamers worldwide, and said roughly 40% of respondents in the age range reported it was their preferred way to play.

The report said “social play is a key part of gaming for younger consumers,” and suggested more developers could look to incorporate collaborative elements.

Co-operative games are also big with streamers – watching players bicker as they try to conquer a new title is a great source of viral moments.

Last year Chained Together, where players work together to escape the depths of hell, was a hit thanks to huge names like Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed getting in on the action.

Couple Melissa and Jonn-Mark, from Middlesbrough, have been uploading clips of themselves playing Split Fiction together to TikTok.

The game centres around fantasy author Zoe and sci-fi writer Mio, who become trapped in simulated versions of their own stories.

Melissa, a keen reader, says the plot appealed to her, but the chance to team up got her invested.

“A lot of the time when you play video games you are isolated from other people and it’s just nice to be together, spend that quality time together,” Melissa tells Newsbeat.

Jonn-Mark says popular online games are often very competitive, which can be stressful.

“I don’t want to have to come home tired and have to focus 100% to just be able to do ok at a game,” he says.

“Whereas this one, I can just sit back, relax and just enjoy the experience.”

What Hazelight does is unique, but other companies do implement co-op features into their titles.

Guildford-based Supermassive Games, which specialises in “interactive horror movies”, made couch co-op a standard mode in its titles after publishing its breakout hit Until Dawn.

They found players were going through the single-player title in groups, passing the pad between them as the narrative – which changes based on choices made in-game – progressed.

Competitive social play is also popular. Some of the best-selling games on Nintendo’s Switch system – Mario Kart 8 and the Mario Party series – are frequently played with mates around the TV.

In recent years, developers have tried to replicate the success of games like Fortnite – so-called “live service” titles that constantly update and retain players for months, if not years.

If you get it right, the potential financial rewards are huge, but cutting through in a saturated market is difficult.

And as the video games industry continues to deal with mass layoffs, studio closures and decreased spending on premium games, not many publishers want to take a risk.

Josef believes there may be too much focus on the bottom line.

“Publishers need to step up and really trust the developer,” he says.

“But also developers, I think, need to have a clear vision and stick with what they believe in.”

He does admit, though, that not everyone has his studio’s history, nor his personality.

“I am a – what do you say? – a different breed,” says Josef.

When he was directing his first game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, feedback from some early playtests was “super bad”.

“I’m like, they’re wrong, they’re wrong, because I know it’s great,” he says.

He’s spoken before about resisting pressure to put micro-transactions – in-game purchases – in his projects, and is uncompromising despite his studio’s close relationship with EA, one of the world’s biggest publishers.

“I don’t expect everybody to be like me, but that’s me with my extreme confidence,” he says.

“What we do, I love it.

“We’re sticking to the vision of what we believe in. Stick with the vision, go with it.

“And I think if you really love what you do people love it as well.”

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