Hazelight Studios has officially confirmed that work has begun on their next game. Studio founder Josef Fares shared a set photo from a motion-capture session, raising more questions than it answered. This is particularly interesting because, following the success of Split Fiction and It Takes Two is under high pressure to meet expectations.
The image shows three actors in motion-capture suits, whose faces are intentionally obscured. The studio itself commented briefly: They were “back in the kitchen“and I’m working on something”really delicious".
Hazelight and the possible end of the two-player dogma
The most striking point: three actors. haze light has been A Way Out Consistently designed for cooperative games with exactly two main characters. It Takes Two and last Split Fiction have further refined this concept – both mechanically and narratively.
A third playable character would disrupt this fundamental principle. Whether this would be true three-player co-op, an asymmetrical role, or simply a story character remains to be seen. Technically, a three-player design would be significantly more complex: balancing, camera, level design, and matchmaking would all need to be rethought. Hazelight could either thrive on this or falter under the pressure.
Why the pressure to meet expectations is high for Hazelight
Split Fiction Hazelight was a clear success. By May 2025, around four million units had been sold, along with several award nominations. Critics particularly praised the seamless integration of the story and co-op mechanics.
The story of Mio and Zoe, two authors whose stories come to life in virtual reality, was narratively ambitious without getting bogged down in technical gimmicks. Its success was therefore based not on size, but on focus. This very focus would be jeopardized by expanding to include more main characters.
The fact is: Hazelight is working on a new game. It's also a fact: there are hints of three central characters. Everything else is pure speculation. It hasn't been confirmed whether the co-op focus will be expanded, nor whether the game will be bigger or "better" in a measurable sense.
Hazelight has distinguished itself through discipline so far. Whether the studio maintains this discipline with a presumably larger undertaking will be crucial.
