Hazelight Studios’ latest co-op game, Split Fiction, has made a remarkable debut, selling over one million copies within the first 48 hours of its release.
For comparison, the studio’s previous title, Game of the Year winner It Takes Two, took an entire month to reach the same sales milestone back in 2022.
The studio expressed its gratitude on social media, stating, “The love you all show for our game is overwhelming! Everyone here at Hazelight is beyond happy – and we can’t stop enjoying your amazing reactions!”
As per reports from PC Gamer, the sales figures account for actual purchases and do not include players using the Friend’s Pass feature. This unique option allows a friend to join the game without owning a copy, making it easier for more players to experience the game together.
The game’s popularity is reflected in its player statistics. According to SteamDB, Split Fiction peaked at 259,000 concurrent players, significantly surpassing It Takes Two’s record of approximately 71,000 players. Additionally, the game has received an “overwhelmingly positive” rating from over 14,000 user reviews on Steam, further highlighting its strong reception among players.
The storyline follows two writers navigating levels inspired by their unpublished works, incorporating dynamic and evolving mechanics throughout the gameplay. Split Fiction shares some gameplay elements with It Takes Two, but it is visually more advanced and features constantly shifting mechanics that keep the experience fresh.
Critically, the game has been well-received across major review platforms. It holds a 91% score on Metacritic, making it the first EA-published game in over a decade to surpass the 90% mark. The last EA title to achieve this was Mass Effect 3 in 2012.
Gaming publications have showered praise on Split Fiction. GameSpot awarded it a perfect 100/100, calling it “a remarkable love letter to creativity, video games, and companionship.” IGN rated it 9/10, describing it as “an expertly crafted co-op adventure that pinballs from one genre extreme to another.” Eurogamer gave it 5/5, calling it “one of the most inventive and joyful co-op games to date,” though they noted its difficulty level is higher than It Takes Two. Meanwhile, Variety gave it a perfect 10/10, calling it a “mind-bending 2-player triumph” that pushes the boundaries of cooperative gaming.
With its strong start and positive reception, Split Fiction is shaping up to be another major success for Hazelight Studios. The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
