EA has a notorious reputation, having been dubbed the “worst company in America” several times and facing backlash for its actions against popular developers and game types. However, Josef Fares, head of Hazelight Studios and creator of the acclaimed co-op game Split Fiction, doesn’t share this viewpoint.

“Nobody believes me,” he states during a virtual meeting. “For some reason, people like to hate EA, I don’t know why.”

Fares insists that working with EA has been a positive experience, having received consistent support for his projects. He attributes the industry’s broader issues to a profit-driven culture, stating that the constant push for growth often leads to poor decisions.

“The problem with the whole capitalist idea is that you need to make more and more money.” “That doesn’t make sense, because at the end of the day, you will make stupid decisions.”

Despite this, Fares emphasizes that constructive relationships can exist within the industry’s framework, and good games like Split Fiction can thrive without microtransactions. He expresses hope that the success of such projects will inspire a change among other publishers.