Ben Atkinson
If you search ‘best co-op games’, the first article that comes up is GamesRadar’s list counting down the best of all time. Out of the 25, only three require exactly two players: the kicker is that all three are made by the same developer, and they take up the first, second and third spots on the list.
Hazelight Studios was founded in 2014 by Josef Fares, and from the outset had the goal of making ‘story-driven experiences’ that were ‘elegant and mature’. Their first title, A Way Out (third on GamesRadar’s list) was released in 2018 to generally positive reviews. It sold 1 million units in two weeks, and gradually sold more and more in the following years until recently, when it surpassed 11 million; but it wasn’t just a well-made prison escape action-adventure game. A Way Out employed an entirely new gameplay system by making it exclusively 2-player co-op, crafting sequences which seamlessly blend the two perspectives into moments which will make you genuinely gasp at the creativity (the hospital scene, the motorcycle chase, the finale, etcetera… I could go on). If you’ve played the game, you’ll know that the story was also excellently done, creating two characters that felt real and delivering a gut-punching ending. Personally, my sister and I had a brilliant time on our multiple playthroughs back in 2018.
With A Way Out’s critical and commercial success, you would think other studios would jump on the 2-player co-op niche. It seemed to have captured a special type of feeling amongst gamers: not a bombastic, fun-filled multiplayer experience or an enchanting, story-driven single-player experience, but somewhere in between. Yet the next company to make a successful 2-player co-op game… was Hazelight once again.
We were emerging from a series of Covid-19 lockdowns and perhaps looking for a game which prioritised real-life human connection
2021’s It Takes Two took the gaming world by storm. Not only did it sell over 20 million copies, but it won countless awards, including Game of the Year and Best Multiplayer Game at the Game Awards. Once again, Hazelight crafted a unique experience with an excellent narrative and innovative mechanics – It Takes Two took its predecessor’s variability and turned it up to eleven. (Seriously, there isn’t a moment where you’ll be bored during this game). Other elements might have aided its success. During the time of release, we were emerging from a series of COVID-19 lockdowns and perhaps looking for a game which prioritised real-life human connection. The bottom line is that It Takes Two is brilliant.
Surely now, after a second consecutive hit, other games would follow Hazelight’s lead. But the pattern continues, and four years later, the next 2-player co-op success is released… by Hazelight. Split Fiction (Number 2 on GamesRadar’s list) once again follows the same system – extreme variability in gameplay, strong aesthetics, simple and effective mechanics (focused on platforming), and another wonderful story. It has sold over 4 million copies since its release in March, and has received reviews just as positive as It Takes Two (both got 9/10 from IGN, with 91 and 88 on Metacritic respectively). Split Fiction also had themes relevant to the real world: while its predecessor covered cooperation and the mending of a broken relationship (post-COVID), this time the story linked with the current anxiety around the future of AI and creativity. Using the framework of two struggling writers being thrust into a world of their own ideas is clever and even inspiring, but – as asked in Luke Reily’s IGN review – how hasn’t this ‘come along in a dozen games already’? Why is Hazelight the only company doing this?
One reason is, as always, profit. Games that rely on having two players (no more, no less) have a narrower reach. It makes sense for large studios to design their games to be accessible for one person up to four or five or more. But in doing this, they lose the bespoke effect that Hazelight gets to play with: they lose the specially designed dual-story, they lose the awesome sequences, they lose the tailored teamwork scenarios. There’s a specific pull to playing a story-driven game with someone else, where both your roles are equally important yet entirely different. But it’s just not worth it for a company pouring hundreds of millions into a game, especially now that internet speeds have made mass multiplayer that much easier – so what about smaller studios?
Only a small studio could have the liberty to take a risk on 2-player co-op
A Way Out was funded by EA as part of their Originals program, reportedly around $3.7 million, and even with that budget, Hazelight struggled with paying staff. After its success, they likely had slightly more to play with for It Takes Two from the profit of its predecessor, even more for Split Fiction. But the scenario which made this possible was very specific: only a small studio could have the liberty to take a risk on 2-player co-op (i.e., narrower scope), but it’s much more difficult for a small, lower-budget studio to pull off the concept. I’m not arguing that EA is a ‘wonderful company’ for funding Hazelight – they certainly have their issues – yet even if they were just trying to garner a good image with the Originals program, they did help foster some of the best, most creative games in recent years. Perhaps a small studio being funded by a larger studio is the only condition by which games like It Takes Two and Split Fiction can emerge.
So… Is that it? Hazelight is so successful at what it does and emerged through such unique circumstances that it seems unlikely another studio will come along and challenge its grasp on the co-op market. One part of me thinks that’s a shame, especially when the reason for that is largely profit, because the world is a confusing, changing place at the moment. A couch co-op game where you can connect with one other person and explore thought-provoking themes seems a lot more important than the latest ‘Simpsons Fortnite update’. But another part of me thinks: Hazelight is an indie studio that makes masterpieces. Does it matter if they have a monopoly on the market? I’m just excited to see what they come out with next, and for it to bring me closer to whoever I play alongside. So if another company comes out with a banger co-op game, I’ll be as happy as anyone, and if they don’t, that’s okay too. It’s a wonderful genre, and Hazelight does it best – for any other medium-to-large company, making a co-op game is still a risk. I hope one day this changes, but for now, I’m happy to ride the Hazelight wave.
Ben Atkinson
Featured image courtesy of Igor Karimov via Unsplash. Image use license found here . Image was cropped to size.
In-article photos courtesy of @hazelightgames via Instagram. No changes were made to these photos.
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