Split Fiction launched on March 6, 2025, and in less than 48 hours, it’s not just breaking records—it’s breaking heads. Hazelight Studios’ latest co-op gem, helmed by the irrepressible Josef Fares, dropped with a Metacritic-topping 95%—the highest-rated game of the year so far, outpacing Monster Hunter Wilds and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. With “Overwhelmingly Positive” Steam reviews from over 18,000 players and a Friend’s Pass system echoing It Takes Two’s 23 million sales, it’s a critical and commercial juggernaut. But amidst the praise, a vocal minority’s losing their minds over its two female protagonists, Mio and Zoe. Fares, the ex-filmmaker turned co-op king behind Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out, isn’t just shrugging it off—he’s unloading on the haters with a profanity-laced takedown that’s pure, unfiltered Fares. “What the f*** is this?” he roared in a Fall Damage YouTube video on March 7, and the internet’s been ablaze ever since.

The game itself? A wild ride. Mio and Zoe, named after Fares’ daughters, are writers sucked into their own sci-fi and fantasy tales by a shady tech firm, Rader Publishing, that’s out to swipe their ideas. It’s a split-screen co-op fever dream—think laser swords one minute, dragon rides the next, all stitched together with Hazelight’s signature chaos and charm. GamesRadar’s Sam Loveridge called it a “bastion of ingenuity,” cementing Hazelight as co-op royalty. You’d figure the focus would be on the farting pigs or the SSX-style hoverboard stunts, not the gender of the leads. Yet, here we are: a YouTube comment branded it “another feminism propaganda-soaked game,” and Fares, never one to mince words, let loose.

“What the f*** is this?” he snapped, reading the jab aloud. “I guess this is someone reacting to there being two women. Let me just say this: in Brothers there were two guys, in A Way Out there were two guys, in It Takes Two there was one guy, one woman. And now that there are two girls, everyone’s complaining?” His exasperation’s palpable, and he’s got a point—his track record’s a gender grab bag, yet this is the hill some players die on. “It’s also based on my daughters,” he added, “and I totally don’t care what’s between your legs—that’s not interesting to me. Good characters is what’s important.” X erupted: “Josef Fares just ended the woke debate,” one user cheered, while another dubbed it “perfection lol.” At 3:41 AM PDT on March 9, 2025, the clip’s still racking up views, and Fares’ rant’s the talk of gaming.

He’s not wrong to call out the hypocrisy. Brothers (10 million sold) and A Way Out (11 million) starred male duos—no one batted an eye. It Takes Two’s Cody and May split the difference, nabbing Game of the Year in 2021 without a peep about “forced diversity.” Now, Mio and Zoe—sci-fi grit meets fantasy flair—trigger a meltdown because… two women? Fares, who pivoted from directing five films to games after a sleepless night birthed Brothers, doesn’t play to agendas. “I’ve always been a storyteller,” he told The Guardian. This time, his story’s personal—a buddy flick inspired by his kids, not a soapbox. X users back him: “He’s right—good characters trump everything,” one wrote. Another jabbed, “Imagine crying over this when Tomb Raider’s been around since ’96.”

The backlash isn’t new—Assassin’s Creed Shadows caught flak for Yasuke, a Black samurai—but Fares’ response is. Where Ubisoft dodged or deflected, he charges in, fists up. “The problem’s not feminism propaganda,” GamesRadar noted, “it’s the bigotry pushed on social media for engagement.” Fares sees through it: “Come on, man,” he groaned, dismantling the outrage with a shrug and a swear. His daughters, Mio and Zoe, aren’t tokens—they’re the heart of a tale about creativity under siege, a tech bro nightmare that’s less “woke” and more Black Mirror. Posts on X agree: “It’s about the story, not politics—haters just want clicks.”

Split Fiction’s success backs him up. Launched on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via EA Originals, it’s a $50 co-op romp that’s already a GOTY contender—Fares told GamesRadar he’d “really appreciate” another win, though GTA 6 might crash the party in 2025. Its Friend’s Pass lets one buyer invite a friend free, and crossplay keeps the lobbies humming. Reviews gush: “A bewitching triumph,” The Washington Post raved; IGN’s preview called it “nothing like his previous games.” Three hours of playtime reveal a kaleidoscope—gorilla brawls, sand shark rides, and a finale Fares played with IGN that “impressed the heck” out of them. Yet, some fixate on skirts instead of swords.

Fares’ fury’s no act—he’s been this way since his “F*** the Oscars!” rant at The Game Awards 2017. A Lebanese-Swedish firebrand, he swapped film for games because “movies are a vacation” compared to this grind. Split Fiction took 80 devs years on Unreal Engine 5, cutting 20-30% of ideas to polish the rest, per VentureBeat. “How did we do this?” he marveled to Xbox Wire, stunned by its scope. That passion fuels his disdain for detractors—he’s not here for their noise. “It’s crazy to me other publishers aren’t doing co-op,” he told GamesRadar, pitching a split-screen Splinter Cell. For him, it’s about play, not preaching.

Does the criticism hold water? Nah. Split Fiction’s Mio and Zoe aren’t “propaganda”—they’re flawed, funny, and fierce, battling trauma and tech greed. The game’s no manifesto; it’s a rollercoaster, tossing new mechanics every level like Nintendo on a bender. X users shrug off the hate: “Played it—zero politics, all fun,” one said. Steam’s 18,000+ glowing reviews don’t mention gender—they praise the pigs and pacing. The loud complainers? A minority drowned out by 6 million Stalker 2 players embracing jank or Wilds’ 8 million sales. Fares knows it: “Good characters” win, not gripes.

At 47, Fares isn’t slowing down—Hazelight’s next game’s already cooking, though he’s coy on details. Split Fiction’s launch proves his formula: co-op chaos, human stories, no “bullshit” microtransactions (another Fares rant staple). As of March 9, 2025, it’s the year’s critical king, and he’s daring the industry to catch up. “What the f*** is this?” isn’t just a clapback—it’s a battle cry from a guy who’s beaten war, fire, and now whiners to keep gaming creative. Mio and Zoe aren’t the problem; the haters are—and Fares just handed them an L they’ll feel for months.