GameTimeline

Release & story order

Hazelight co-op games in order

Use this page for Hazelight games in order—Josef Fares’ co-op studio run from A Way Out through It Takes Two and Split Fiction. Release lists US ship dates so you can follow how Friend’s Pass co-op evolved. Story mostly mirrors Release because each campaign is a standalone narrative; there is no shared cast continuity to “catch up.” Essentials highlight a modern It Takes Two + Split Fiction pair, the full Hazelight trio, or It Takes Two only. Narrative neighbors: Until Dawn, Life is Strange, and Quantic Dream.

Updated September 2026

Pick your path:

Modern pair Full Hazelight It Takes Two only Full release list Story order

Where to start

Pick Modern pair for It Takes Two plus Split Fiction, Full Hazelight for every Release entry including A Way Out, or It Takes Two only if you want a single couch/online co-op night before committing to more. Essentials hides paths you are not running.

  • Couples / best-friend night → modern-pair starting with It Takes Two
  • Studio completionists → full-hazelight in Release order
  • One purchase test → it-takes-two-only, then decide on Split Fiction
  • Prison-break mood → add A Way Out anytime; it spoils nothing later

Release order

When Hazelight shipped each co-op adventure in the US—A Way Out (March 23, 2018), It Takes Two (March 26, 2021), and Split Fiction (March 6, 2025). Josef Fares’ earlier Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Starbreeze era) stays FAQ-optional as a spiritual ancestor, not a required Hazelight Release row.

  • Modern pair → It Takes Two, then Split Fiction
  • Full studio path → A Way Out → It Takes Two → Split Fiction
  • One-game taste → It Takes Two (clearest onboarding for most duos)
  • Need a free friend seat → check Friend’s Pass rules per title before buying
Story order tips

No shared universe links Leo and Vincent to Cody and May or to Split Fiction’s authors—Story tab mirrors Release for studio history, not fiction chronology. Use it to see craft evolution; pick any title as a first co-op night without lore homework from the others.

  • Zero shared canon across the three Hazelight adventures
  • Story tab order is historical, not “Part 1–3” fiction
  • Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is optional spiritual ancestor (FAQ)
  • Compare co-op vibes with Until Dawn or Life is Strange—not sequels

Timeline

0/3 played

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. A Way Out

    A Way Out

    PS4Xbox OnePCCo-opMainlineAdventure

    A Way Out is Hazelight’s 2018 split-screen prison-break co-op—Leo and Vincent must escape together with asymmetric puzzles and cinematic set pieces. It established Friend’s Pass energy before It Takes Two became the mainstream breakout.

    Overview
    Mandatory two-player design with split-screen storytelling that treats co-op as the camera language, not a bolt-on mode. Fares’ loud director presence and genre-shifting chapters previewed later Hazelight variety packs.
    In-game setting
    Standalone prison-break narrative. No plot bridge into It Takes Two or Split Fiction. Play for chemistry practice and studio history, not shared lore.
    Should you play it?
    Optional opener on a full Hazelight binge. Skip-safe if you only want It Takes Two or Split Fiction. Best when both players can talk—silent solo couch is not the design.
    Release date
    US March 23, 2018 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC under EA Originals.
  2. It Takes Two

    It Takes Two

    PS4PS5Xbox OneXbox Series X|SPCSwitchCo-opMainlineAdventure

    It Takes Two is Hazelight’s 2021 breakout—Cody and May shrunk into a therapy-laced co-op platformer with genre-shifting chapters and Friend’s Pass generosity. Still the safest “first Hazelight” for most duos in 2026.

    Overview
    Chapter-to-chapter genre remixes, co-op-only traversal toys, and emotional comedy that made shared play feel authored rather than competitive. Game of the Year momentum made Hazelight’s co-op thesis mainstream.
    In-game setting
    Standalone relationship adventure. No shared cast with A Way Out or Split Fiction. Next studio beat on Release is Split Fiction’s sci-fi/fantasy co-op—not a Cody/May sequel.
    Should you play it?
    Best single-title starting point. Required on modern-pair and full-hazelight Essentials. Play Split Fiction next for newer tech, or stop here after one great co-op campaign.
    Release date
    US March 26, 2021 multiplatform; later Switch version and current-gen upgrades expanded access.
  3. Split Fiction

    Split Fiction

    PS5Xbox Series X|SPCSwitch 2Co-opMainlineAdventure

    Split Fiction is Hazelight’s March 6, 2025 co-op adventure—Mio and Zoe trapped inside colliding sci-fi and fantasy stories, with Friend’s Pass and cross-play on current platforms. The newest full campaign on this studio timeline.

    Overview
    Dual-genre world swapping and denser co-op set pieces on Unreal Engine 5 presentation. Continues Hazelight’s “two players required” authorship without turning prior casts into a shared universe.
    In-game setting
    Standalone author-trapped narrative. No Cody/May or Leo/Vincent crossovers. Switch 2 version followed later in 2025; US launch window for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC remains March 6, 2025.
    Should you play it?
    Current 2026 destination after It Takes Two. No lore prerequisite from A Way Out. Pair with It Takes Two on Essentials modern-pair for the strongest recent Hazelight double feature.
    Release date
    US/global launch March 6, 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC; Nintendo Switch 2 version later (June 5, 2025).

FAQ

Play order, shared canon myths, Friend’s Pass, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and Split Fiction’s March 2025 launch.

Play order

Stories & canon

No. Each game has its own cast and ending. Story tab order is studio release history only. You can finish Split Fiction forever without touching A Way Out’s prison break.

Optional & related

Optional spiritual ancestor directed by Josef Fares at Starbreeze—not a Hazelight Studios Release entry on this page. Play for single-pad dual-brother history if you are a completionist; skip if you only want the Hazelight co-op trio listed here.

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.