Microtransactions are Ruining Video Games, Says Creator of It Takes Two and Split Fiction
During the launch of Split Fiction, Josef Fares, head of Hazelight Studios, shared his strong views against microtransactions, a topic he is particularly passionate about. In an interview with Fall Damage, Fares explained how these systems negatively affect game design. He said, “Every time you make a design decision to increase revenue, you create a huge problem and it’s stopping our industry from a creative perspective.” He emphasized that for Hazelight, this is a practice to avoid at all costs.
The Impact on Game Design
Fares went on to mention some major companies in the gaming industry, like Ubisoft, which he believes are facing difficulties because of these practices. He said, “Many publishers prefer not to focus on cooperative experiences, and it’s crazy to me. I’m thinking of Ubisoft, a company that’s struggling a bit at the moment. I hope someone there listens to this interview and thinks about creating a co-op adventure with Sam Fisher.”
At the moment, Fares’ perspective seems to be supported by the numbers. A Way Out and It Takes Two, the first two games from Hazelight Studios, have sold nearly 35 million copies combined, and Split Fiction seems to be another guaranteed success. Meanwhile, Ubisoft appears to be moving in the direction of co-op gameplay, with a rumored co-op mode for its upcoming title Assassin’s Creed Shadows, set to release on March 20 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
