Split Fiction Streamers Earn A Trip to Hazelight Studios After Completing Secret Stage

Split Fiction streamers conquered the notoriously difficult "Laser Hell" secret stage, earning themselves an all-expenses-paid trip to Hazelight Studios! Read on to discover more about their incredible feat and what Hazelight has planned next.

Split Fiction: More Surprises Unfold

Laser Hell Conquered: A Trip to Hazelight Awaits

Split Fiction's successful launch last month continues to yield exciting surprises, most notably the discovery and completion of the hidden "Laser Hell" stage. This incredibly challenging level proved too much for most, but Chinese streamers sharkOvO and E1uM4y rose to the occasion, completing the challenge and earning a unique reward.

Their BiliBili video showcases their impressive victory. Unlocking Laser Hell requires players to input a specific switch sequence on the Isolation level elevator. Success transports them to a laser-filled platforming gauntlet.

Their achievement unlocked a congratulatory video message from Hazelight Founder Josef Fares himself. He revealed even many Hazelight developers struggled with Laser Hell, highlighting the duo's impressive skill. The reward? A trip to Hazelight Studios in Sweden for an exclusive sneak peek at their next game! Fares later confirmed this on Twitter (X) on March 19th, stating, "Congrats to "sharkOvO" and "E1uM4y" for finishing the secret challenge "Laser Hell" in #splitficton. VERY impressive! I will keep my promise and invite you both to Sweden for an early look of our next game. We´ll be in touch!"

Hazelight Studios: Onward to the Next Adventure

In a March 17th interview on The Friends Per Second podcast, Fares discussed Hazelight's relationship with EA and revealed that development on their next game has already begun.

He described Split Fiction's reception as exceptionally positive, differing from his experiences with previous releases. While thrilled with the success, he emphasized his focus on the studio's next project. "This has been a bit extra special," he stated. "I would say that it’s been the best-received game we have done, but to be honest, everybody is super happy, but I’m so fully-focused and excited on the next thing that we already have started."

While confirming active development, Fares remained tight-lipped about specifics, citing the early stage of the project. He did mention that Hazelight's development cycle typically spans three to four years, hinting at a future reveal. "There is a reason why I can’t talk about the next game; it’s because it’s quite early," he explained. "You do know, at Hazelight, we don’t work on [a] game more than three or four years. Three or four years is not so far away. Then we’re going to talk more about it. It’s way too early, but just know this: we are very, very, very, very excited here. Very excited, and we started working on this a month ago-ish."

He also clarified Hazelight's collaborative relationship with EA, emphasizing EA's supportive role rather than dictatorial influence. "Here’s the thing, people don’t understand this: EA is a supporter. We don’t pitch games to them," he stated. "We say, ‘We’re going to do this.’ That’s it. They have zero, and I mean zero, thing to say about what we’re doing next." He highlighted EA's respectful approach to Hazelight, contrasting it with experiences other developers may have had with the publisher. "Maybe they’re f***ing up with other developers. With us, no. They respect us. They respect what we do. I’m very clear with them that they cannot interfere with what we do. Now, we have become one of their most successful studios."

First Update and a Milestone Achieved

A March 17th update addressed several community-reported issues, including in-game mechanics, online glitches, and localization improvements.

Furthermore, Split Fiction recently surpassed 2 million copies sold in its first week—a remarkable achievement, especially when compared to It Takes Two's initial sales figures.

Split Fiction is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay tuned for more updates!