It Takes Two follow-up name leaked and seemingly confirmed by dev

Despite a recent survey showing just how popular couch co-op games are, there’s been a lot of talk recently about how few such games are ever actually released. This is especially puzzling given that 2021’s It Takes Two won game of the year at The Game Awards and has gone on to sell a staggering 20 million copies.

Developer Hazelight Studios has been hinting at a new game since at least 2022, but there’s never been any indication that it’s a direct sequel. Although that’s not necessarily unexpected, as director Josef Fares has never made a sequel to any of his games.

It’s been assumed that the new game will be a couch co-op title (It Takes Two can only be played with two people) and now a name seems to have been leaked for it: Split Fiction.

If that’s not a clue that the game also features split-screen co-op we don’t know what is, but other than possibly being a reference to the phrase ‘pulp fiction’, there’s not anything else that can be gauged from the name alone.

Not only does the leaked name come from the ever reliable billbil-kun but it also fits the hint that Fares himself gave for the game’s name, that it is called S**** ******N.

On top of that, a separate tweet has confirmed that it is a new IP, so definitely not a sequel to It Takes Two. It’s also going to be once again published by EA, with a clear visual clue that it involves ‘co-op.’

Other than the name, the only other information billbil-kun has is that it’s been in development for ‘at least two years.’

Although they do also go into some slightly strange speculation about the nature of the split-screen mode, suggesting it might not just be a straight split down the middle. Although the dynamic method they’re describing sounds like the same sort of system that’s been already been used (and then largely abandoned) in several Lego games.

It is Hazlelight’s 10th anniversary in November, so a full reveal could happen then. Although it’s more likely we’ll get another tease and the official unveiling will happen at The Game Awards in early December.

Although Xbox had a Partner Preview event last week there’s uncertainty as to whether Sony will have another State of Play before the end of the year, which could also be a venue for announcing new games.

At this point it’s looking unlikely though, as preview events after October are rare. Although some fans are still holding out hope for a Nintendo Switch 2 reveal before the end of 2024.