Discover how Split Fiction streamers conquered the challenging "Laser Hell" secret stage and earned an exclusive trip to Hazelight Studios. Dive into the details of this exciting challenge and learn about the studio's plans following the game's triumphant launch.

Split Fiction Continues With More Surprises

First Players to Finish "Laser Hell" Challenge Earn a Trip to Hazelight Studios

Following its successful launch last month, Split Fiction continues to captivate players with new surprises, including the discovery of the secret "Laser Hell" stage. This stage, known for its formidable difficulty, was conquered by the dynamic duo of Chinese streamers, sharkOvO and E1uM4y. Their achievement was showcased on BiliBili, where they demonstrated how to access this hidden level by entering a specific sequence of switch presses on the elevator in the Isolation level, leading to a laser-filled platform challenge.

Upon completing the stage, the streamers unlocked a special video message from Hazelight Founder Josef Fares, who praised their accomplishment, noting that even most of his development team struggled with the level. Fares extended an invitation for sharkOvO and E1uM4y to visit Hazelight Studios in Sweden for a sneak peek at their next project. He confirmed this promise on Twitter (X) on March 19, stating, "Congrats to 'sharkOvO' and 'E1uM4y' for finishing the secret challenge 'Laser Hell' in #splitfiction. VERY impressive! I will keep my promise and invite you both to Sweden for an early look at our next game. We'll be in touch!"

Hazelight Studios Working On Its Next Game

In a recent interview on the Friends Per Second podcast on March 17, Josef Fares discussed Hazelight's ongoing relationship with publisher EA and hinted at the studio's next venture. Fares expressed a sense of completion with Split Fiction, stating, "For me, personally, every time a game is out, I’m kind of done with it. I’m kind of like, ‘OK, here’s the next thing.’" He highlighted the special reception of Split Fiction, describing it as the best-received game Hazelight has produced, yet his focus is already shifting to their new project.

Although Fares remained tight-lipped about the specifics of their current project, he mentioned that work began about a month ago and assured fans that the team is incredibly excited. He explained the studio's quick turnaround, saying, "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."

Regarding Hazelight's relationship with EA, Fares clarified their autonomy, stating, "Here’s the thing, people don’t understand this: EA is a supporter. We don’t pitch games to them." He emphasized EA's hands-off approach, saying, "They have zero, and I mean zero, thing to say about what we’re doing next." Despite any negative perceptions of EA, Fares praised their support, noting, "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 Hitting 2 Million Sales in 1 Week

On March 17, Split Fiction received its first update, addressing various community-reported issues. The update included fixes for in-game mechanics, minor glitches in online play, and improved localization and subtitles across all supported languages.

In a remarkable achievement, Split Fiction surpassed 2 million sales within just one week of its release. This milestone is particularly noteworthy when compared to Hazelight's previous success, It Takes Two, which sold 1 million copies a few weeks after its launch and reached 20 million by October 2024.

Split Fiction is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news and developments by checking out our article below!