On the Implications of Game Budgets for AAA and AA
As far as Fares is concerned, big-budget AAA releases must be defended. Accepting that smaller-scale AA titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 do well, he stated that the industry needs a mix and match of all sorts of formats to thrive.
"But I couldn't live without AAA releases. I honestly want to play blockbusters. You can't make GTA for ten million dollars. We need both formats," stated Fares.
He worried that the success of one AA hit might lead the publishers to abandon larger projects while acknowledging that some AA games that came out in 2025 to mixed reception had made AAA developers rather risk-averse, though the likes of Naughty Dog or Rockstar Games still manage to take some chances with huge funding.
Hazelight's Player-First Business Model
Fares explained how Hazelight Studios thought about its projects only under the consideration of creativity and player experience, not pure financial growth. He gave one example of this case: the studio's inventive "Friend's Pass" system, which allows two people to play their co-op games online with just one copy.
This very approach is why he does not intend to go public.
"I am never going to take Hazelight public. In order to get growth in the financials, we are going to have to make some stupid decisions. I don't want to do that," he said."That is how we begin to rely too heavily on the business side."
Defending the Publisher in Electronic Arts
Once again, Fares took to defend Hazelight's publisher: Electronic Arts. He said EA never interfered with the studio's creative process and that EA employs people who love games. He said that the criticism directed at the EA is often unfair and mentioned that all big companies make mistakes from time to time, including Nintendo and Sony.
Attitudes toward AI in Game Development
The interview then touched upon the subject of AI. Fares confirmed that AI tools had been in use within the Hazelight studios for several years now but reservations cropped up when generative AI was mentioned.
"The trouble is generative AI," he said. "If [an AI tool] helps bring an idea to life, I see no reason not to use it," he continued. "However, the generative AI makes people a bit cautious. It is very difficult to give a straight answer here."
He stated that tools like Midjourney, impressive as they were upon launch, have since hit a quality ceiling and wonders if the actual output produced has improved continuously since its launch.
The Gaming Industry Into the Future
Despite everything, Fares thinks there is a bright future in the realm of video games. He rebuffed the idea that the industry had come to a standstill in regard to creativity, mentioning that it is still young compared to cinema; in his opinion, a lot of room remains for improvement, with Hazelight's successful venture in the popularization of strictly cooperative games serving as a chief case.
