Josef Fares, founder of Hazelight Studios, known for his work on games like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, A Way Out, and It Takes Two, firmly states that he will never develop a live service game, expressing disdain for the trend.

During talks about Electronic Arts (EA) and live service game strategies, Fares emphasizes the importance of developers focusing on their passions instead of succumbing to market trends. He remarked, “I think [live service] is not the right way to go; I hope more and more [developers] focus on their passion and what they believe in.”

Last year, Andrew Wilson, EA’s CEO, discussed the need for games to adapt to the changing desires of players, alluding to the recent failure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard to meet sales expectations. Wilson argued that live service elements could enhance a game’s reach in a competitive market.

Fares challenges this notion, stating that although studios face financial pressures, there should also be respect for creativity, asserting that Hazelight is proof that delivering unique visions can resonate with large audiences.

Fares’s position highlights a growing divide within the industry between profit-driven game design and a more artistic approach to game development as he prepares for the launch of the co-op game Split Fiction on March 6.