Hazelight Studios proved it may go the space when It Takes Two offered an eye-watering 20 million copies and took residence The Sport Awards’ Sport of the Yr, and follow-up Break up Fiction is conserving the momentum sturdy. Not solely did it promote one million copies in two days, it is also quickly amassed glowing critiques and award nominations of its personal—the most recent of which was offered by the very best authority on videogames. That is proper: his majesty Carl Philip, duke of Värmland and prince of Sweden.
Everyone knows that the nice prince is aware of his GTA 5s from his Herzog Zweis, which makes it all of the extra galling that the Glorious Swedish Design award has by no means been given to a videogame prior to now. I suppose I can blame that on Svensk Kind, or the Swedish Design Affiliation, the non-profit which doles out the award yearly.
Break up Fiction was considered one of a dozen recipients alongside not-videogames like the TP-7 field recorder by Teenage Engineering and a furniture collection called The King’s Hat. It isn’t possible to apply for the award, but Svensk Form’s inclusion of game designer Bobbi A. Sand in the curation jury may have had something to do with the co-op platformer’s nomination.
Swedish royalty (left) and his buddy (right) 😏But seriously – the prince of Sweden, his majesty Carl Philip, just awarded Split Fiction the prestigious Excellent Swedish Design award. We’re thankful to be the first videogame to ever receive it! 👑🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/9xT5KvOJDjSeptember 17, 2025
I do not imply to counsel Break up Fiction would not deserve the award—nice video games ought to be acknowledged as cultural achievements. Josef Fares’ beaming smile subsequent to the Swedish prince is a pleasant reminder that generally the video games trade is not all hellfire and torment. (Granted, I do not anticipate Break up Fiction writer EA to win any awards for shedding a bit of its workforce earlier this 12 months, however this can be a optimistic article so I am going to shut up.)
Bully for Hazelight: Break up Fiction is a rollicking good time. There’s additionally a film primarily based on the sport in growth, however I am not but satisfied it is actual.
