Josef Fares has pledged that Hazelight will not become a publicly traded company

Josef Fares, CEO and founder of Hazelight, firmly stated his company will remain private, avoiding the influence of public stock markets.

In an interview with The Games Business, Fares expressed his disinterest in letting stock prices influence game development decisions.

“Hazelight will never be listed on the stock market,” Fares stated. “Focusing on financial metrics could lead to unwise decisions, overshadowing creative priorities.”

The Friend Pass feature exemplifies how creativity can align with business in game development. It allows two players to enjoy a Hazelight game online if only one owns the title.

Fares explained, "Playing with someone online shouldn't incur extra costs compared to couch co-op." The Friend Pass originated from a creative choice and proved beneficial commercially.

"At Hazelight, every decision prioritizes what enhances the game, not purely what sells," he noted. While Fares acknowledges business and creativity both matter, over-emphasizing either could negatively affect a game.

He voiced concern over the potential industry trend towards mid-tier games following Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's success.

"There's talk of AA games becoming dominant, but AAA games remain crucial," Fares noted. "While mid-tier titles have their place, blockbuster games cannot be ignored. Let’s not get caught up thinking a certain trend is the future. The diversity of game types is essential."

Hazelight's recent release, Split Fiction, launched in March 2025. The game swiftly reached commercial success, selling one million copies in just two days as reported, and two million within the first week of sales.