Split Fiction will run at 60 FPS on consoles, according to Hazelight Studios founder Josef Fares. The upcoming co-op title puts players in the shoes of two writers, Mio and Zoe, who end up trapped in a world that combines their ideas. Mio is a Sci-fi writer and Zoe is a fantasy writer, hence the name: Split Fiction.
Furthermore, Split Fiction will play out entirely in co-op with players having the option to do couch co-op or play online. This has been the bread and butter of all Hazelight Studios games, with prior titles including TGA Game of the Year 2021 winner It Takes Two and A Way Out. Fans don’t have to buy two copies of the game either, thanks to the consumer-friendly Friend’s Pass that allows someone who owns the game to invite someone else to play it with them for free. But this co-op feature is an important element of Split Fiction‘s performance, with Game Rant recently speaking with Hazelight founder Josef Fares about its co-op features and performance expectations.
Split Fiction has to render two screens at the same time, which means double the work and double the impact on performance. Of course, as Josef Fares said, players don’t need to understand the technical elements of the game to enjoy it, nor are many aware of the amount of work this takes. As players, people just expect a game to run well—as they should. And, in return, Fares confirmed that Split Fiction will run at 60 FPS on consoles. There will be some major improvements as well for PS5 Pro players, although it’s worth noting that Fares described the improvements as “not a major difference.” Either way, console players should have plenty to enjoy once Split Fiction releases on March 6.
After all, couch co-op has been a dying game mode in the industry for several years now. There’s some hope that games like It Takes Two and Split Fiction see other studios of the industry pursue this genre as well, although it’s hard to compete with Hazelight’s penchant for excellent games. Still, more couch co-op would be great for the industry, but it’s worth mentioning that it’s not a requirement for Hazelight either. Fares also confirmed in our interview that Hazelight is already working on its next game and that fans can, as always, expect Hazelight to do some “crazy sh*t.”
However, he outlined, co-op is not a requirement of the studio. It’s an important part of Hazelight DNA, yes, especially with games like It Takes Two in its library, but he did add, “I’m just saying it’s not only going to be co-op in the future….who knows what happens next?” And with Hazelight Studios, that question is as poignant as it comes.
Action
Adventure
Sci-Fi
Fantasy
- Released
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March 6, 2025
- ESRB
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T For Teen // Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Language, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Electronic Arts