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For a long time, EA has been the butt of many jokes about how greedy it can be.

Its then-CEO saying he wanted tocharge us to reload in Battlefieldlikely hasn’t helped its reputation.

The two characters in Split Fiction holding their hands up in surrender in a futuristic city

However,Split Fictiondirector Josef Fares says he thinks the company gets more flack than it deserves.

And I mean zero."

“They never interfere.

Mio and Zoe talking by a big bubble in a city setting in Split Fiction

Sometimes, I think they get so much s**t they don’t deserve.

I don’t know how they work with others, but with us it’s super good.”

But it also sounds like Fares is good at standing his ground and sticking up for his creative vision.

Mass Effect

“Developers can sometimes struggle with leadership and clear vision,” he says.

If that doesn’t exist, then there’s a risk the publisher will take over more and more.

You know, there needs to be a perfect symbiosis between them.

The two characters in Split Fiction in futuristic bodysuits staring at a huge crack in the simulation they�re in

That’s why I say clearly:no microtransactions, no lootboxes.

I think it’s very important to understand that we’re working with creativity.

We have to push the medium forward.

Star Wars: The Old Republic

We can’t implement that shit and, at Hazelight, it will never happen."

It sounds like Fares has the ideal indie dev/publisher relationship, but those seem rare these days.

Hopefully his words help other developers ensure they’re making the most out of their time with big companies.

Atomfall

Dragon Age: The Veilguard reveal trailer screenshot showing a close-up of an elf�s stern face, a blade held up beside his cheek

REPO blue robot manning a camera

REPO

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Two players in horror game REPO.

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Eva Victor as Agnes in Sorry, Baby

Mister Terrific in Superman

Oblivion Remastered

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Hollow Knight: Silksong

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The cast of Thunderbolts standing in an elevator during the trailer for the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 movie.

Logan Kim as Hershel and Lauren Cohan as Maggie in The Walking Dead: Dead City season 2