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Local co-optends to be associated with consoles as the terms conjure images of friends playingMario PartyandCrash Team Racingon a TV, but PC owners have plenty of options as well. Nowadays, most major multiplayer releases make their way toSteam, and they typically offer online support to simplify the process of finding partners. LAN parties have generally transitioned to online connections, a decision that permits users to either play with friends or strangers.
Online is the standard in modern gaming, but that does not mean local co-op has gone extinct. In fact, some of thebest couch co-op games on Steamlet players share a screen. Even though PC gaming is not synonymous with local co-op or especially split-screen, there are plenty of games that demonstrate the potential of these multiplayer experiences.
Updated June 01, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Thebestlocal co-op Steam gamescan keep players busy for a while, but there is always something on the horizon that is worth acknowledging. Consequently, a section dedicated to upcoming local co-op games has been added.
Hazelight is back with another fantastic co-op experience. Similar toIt Takes TwoandA Way Out,Split Fictiononly supports 2-player runs, so solo playthroughs are not an option. While that can be frustrating for people who prefer to game on their own, Hazelight’s dedication to co-op deserves praise, especially in an era when non-online-focused multiplayer projects are so rare. Due to this creative decision,Split Fictionis built to emphasize and bolster cooperative action, including a story revolving around two characters who are forced to work together after they are screwed over by a corporation. Zoe and Mio are both writers, with the former specializing in fantasy and the latter in sci-fi. Long story short, their ideas are not only stolen but also turned into worlds that Zoe and Mio have to play through to survive.
LikeIt Takes Two,Split Fictionconstantly shakes up its locations and gameplay. Each level essentially takes place in a different world that falls under the general banner of fantasy or sci-fi, and the environments go through an impressive range of settings. The gameplay also evolves to match the situations, resulting in pretty constant surprises.Split Fictioncould be described as a platformer, but that just reflects the core gameplay and not the game’s incredible scope. The story is pretty great too, with two fun protagonists and strong writing throughout. If two friends lovedIt Takes Two, they will probably adoreSplit Fiction.
After achieving near-perfection withDivinity: Original Sin 2, which is also a greatco-op PC RPG, Larian Studios did the impossible and produced something arguably even better. After spending almost three years in early access,Baldur’s Gate 3finally made its proper debut in August 2023, and to say the game was well-received would be an understatement. Hailed as a new benchmark in the CRPG genre, the long-awaited sequel is a deep and rewarding single-player experience that can easily keep somebody entertained for months on end. A big part of the game’s appeal is its flexible and reactive design that seeks to morph the world to complement a player’s choices.
While a fantastic solo experience,Baldur’s Gate 3’s local co-opfeature is also not an afterthought. Players can join someone’s else campaign, or start a new one where they play together from the beginning. Thanks to the use of split-screen, adventurers are not tied to each other, and one party member can head out to explore on their own while their partner does something else. Even though they will likely stick together during most sessions,Baldur’s Gate 3makes it possible for both players to feel in control.
Hazelight is responsible for two of thebest 2-player Steam games.A Way Outis fantastic and an easy recommendation for any duos seeking a mature storyline; however, 2021’sIt Takes Twois generally regarded as the superior overall package. The story follows a married couple who are shrunk down and have to go on a wild adventure to make it back home. The premise might sound derivative, but the game absolutely nails its characters and visuals.
As May and Cody are on the verge of getting a divorce, their shared situation forces them to openly communicate and work together after years of growing apart.It Takes Two’s co-op gameplayreflects and enhances the narrative’s themes.
2013’sPath of Exileis almost too good. Thefree-to-play action RPGdelivered roughly a decade’s worth of brilliance, firmly establishing itself as one of the definitive dungeon crawlers. Even nowadays, it is still a pretty easy recommendation. However, for all its positives,PoEonly supports online co-op, which makes sense for a game that was initially designed with computers in mind. Along with still offering 6-player online co-op, the 2024 sequel adds local multiplayer to the equation, albeit limited to just two people sharing a screen. Controllers are also required on PC.
Now,Path of Exile 2is currently in early access and very much a work-in-progress; consequently, anybody looking to jump on board should be prepared for missing features, a few rough edges, and tweaks/updates that could drastically change the viability of certain builds. Crucially, the early access version is not free, although the full release will go down that route. As such, people who are not sure if this project is for them might wish to wait until version 1.0 drops, which will probably not happen very soon.
With that out of the way, it is now time to say thatPath of Exile 2is fantastic. Improving on nearly every idea found in its predecessor, the sequel is bigger and better, offering more satisfying combat, customization options that come with ridiculous variety, and a pretty good story (from what is currently available). The endgame is also shaping up to be pretty great. In terms of local co-op,PoE2is quite a natural fight for the feature, and the classes and their build options encourage parties to put together characters that complement each other.
Pico Park 2can be a frustrating experience, and that is part of its appeal. Tecopark’s sequel challenges up to 8 players to take on bit-sized obstacles that can vary considerably in structure, presentation, and style. Some are fairly typical puzzles, while other stages dip into genres like action or platforming. Still, the core concept is the same: work together and communicate.
In reality, most people will probably have to make do with strangers when playingPico Park 2, at least if they want to add as many players as possible. Still, the game supports 8-player local co-op as well, so the option is technically viable. That said, 2-player co-op is likely to be the more common selection.
The rise of platforms like Twitch saw the birth of a weird puzzle-platformer subgenre seemingly designed specifically to inspire outrage in streamers.Only Up!is probably the most well-known example of this trend, butJump KingandGetting Over It with Bennett Foddyare also (in)famous and, for a while, were inescapable. As entertaining as it can be to watch someone struggle for hours to climb an abstract tower, or blast through in a matter of minutes, these projects can be hard to recommend in situations when a crowd is not watching.
Although perfect for Twitch,Chained Togetherarguably comes the closest to being a worthwhile all-around gaming experience when someone is craving a challenging platformer. The project’s biggest selling point is its co-op implementation, to the point that the feature is highlighted by the title. While solo runs are possible,Chained Togetheris designed with multiplayer in mind, allowing for up to four players to be tied together as they attempt to escape hell.
As withOnly Up!, players have to jump, catch, and climb across floating assets, all the while being fully aware that a single mistake could cause them to lose all of their progress (unlessthey are playing in Beginner mode). Frustrating as those moments can be,Chained Togetherworks due to that ever-present fear of catastrophic failure. The co-op adds a nice twist since having another player on board has both positives and negatives.
Bread & Fredis a challenging and adorably crafted physics-based adventure that sees two penguins (or a penguin and a heavy object in single-player mode) attempt to scale a mountain peak by swinging and jumping their way through multiple locations. Similar to titles likeJump KingandGetting Over It,Bread & Fredtakes the prospect of climbing up cliff faces and cranks it up to eleven.
Not only can players bring a friend along both locally and online, but there are costumes to unlock, story bits to uncover, mini-games to play, and more.
The gaming equivalent of an'80s action movie,Broforceis loud, stupid, and relentlessly fun. An explosive parody of genre classics and iconic characters, Free Lives' game features pitch-perfect run ‘n’ gun combat, which is enhanced through environmental destruction and endearing pixel graphics.
While perfectly enjoyable in single-player,Broforcereally comes alive when multiple meatheads are rampaging through stages en route to planting an American flag where a fearsome boss once stood.
Valve is responsible for some of the most popular and long-lasting multiplayer games on the market, most of which revolve around co-op. While games likeLeft 4 Dead,Team Fortress 2,Alien Swarm, andCounter-Strikeall prioritize teamwork, they are generally associated with online multiplayer or LAN support more so than local co-op. The same could be said forPortal 2to an extent, although the game is better equipped to take advantage of local two-player action than most of the developer’s other projects. For one, the title supports split-screen right out of the box, which makes it a more viable option than theLeft 4 Deadgames.
The 2011 release reached legendary status thanks to its single-player story, which arguably ranks alongsideHalf-Life 2as Valve’s magnum opus. Less known isPortal 2’s co-op campaignthat sees two robots work together to try and complete GLaDOS’s various challenges. Gameplay-wise, this mode retains many of the same fundamentals as the single-player; however, these identical mechanics take on a new flavor when a second player is thrown into the mix.
Project Zomboidhas been in early access for over a decade, which is typically not a great sign. However, the open-world survival game has somehow managed to remain relevant, and it is still receiving fairly consistent updates as it gradually moves towards its full release. Even if that day seems to be still far in the future,Project Zomboidis already in an impressive state that makes it an easy recommendation for anyone craving a sandbox zombie experience that emphasizes survival above everything else.
While not part of the game’s original 2013 Steam release, split-screen co-op support was added to the package a few years later, allowing four friends to work together to try and make the best of a terrible situation. Online co-op is also available through 32-player lobbies, making the early access project a rather robust multiplayer option.
