Best PS5 Co-Op & Split-Screen Games to Play With Friends (2026)

The best PS5 co-op and split-screen games turn a console into a shared hobby instead of a solo one. Whether you have a partner on the same couch, a sibling visiting for the weekend, or a squad who only ever plays online, PlayStation 5's library covers every flavor of "playing together" — local split-screen, shared-screen co-op, and full online squads. This guide rounds up 14 real, currently-available PS5 titles worth building a co-op session around, with player counts and how each one is best played.

Prices on all of these move constantly — PS Store discounts, regional pricing gaps, and PS Plus catalog rotations all shift the picture week to week. Before buying any of them, it's worth a quick check of the live PS Store deals to see what's discounted right now.

Local vs Online vs Both: Quick Primer

Not all "co-op" is the same, and picking the wrong format for your group is the most common mistake.

• Local / split-screen — two or more players, one console, one TV, no internet required. The most reliable option when people are actually in the same room.
• Online co-op — each player needs their own copy (with a few Friend's Pass exceptions) and a PS Plus subscription for paid titles. Opens up the biggest, longest-running games.
• Both — a handful of standout titles support local and online play, which makes them the safest first purchase for a group that sometimes meets up and sometimes doesn't.

The list below is organized loosely by intensity — cooperative story games first, then chaos-party games, then squad shooters and sandboxes — so skim to the section that matches the night you're planning.

The Best Co-op Games to Play With a Partner

It Takes Two is still the single best two-player game on PS5. It's co-op-only — there's no solo mode — and every chapter reinvents the mechanics entirely, from magnet powers to a wasp-riding dogfight. It supports both local split-screen and online play, and it includes a Friend's Pass, so only one of you needs to actually buy it. Check the current price.

Split Fiction, from the same studio (Hazelight) that made It Takes Two and A Way Out, is the newest entry in this lineage — a genre-hopping sci-fi/fantasy co-op adventure built strictly for two players, again with a Friend's Pass built in. If you've already finished It Takes Two, this is the next place to go. See its current listing.

A Way Out is Hazelight's earlier two-player-only game: a prison-break story told entirely in forced split-screen, even when playing online. It's shorter and more cinematic than It Takes Two, and like its siblings, includes a Friend's Pass so a second player can join for free.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure scales from solo up to four local players and is one of Sony's most underrated first-party platformers. The difficulty is forgiving enough that a newer or younger player won't hold the group back, which makes it a strong pick for a parent-and-kid or mixed-experience pairing. Check the PS5 listing.

Best Party and Chaos Co-op Games (3–4 Players)

These are built for noise, laughing at each other, and the temporary end of friendships — exactly what you want for a group hangout.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat bundles both Overcooked games and all their DLC into one package. Two to four players run a kitchen that actively tries to kill you — collapsing floors, drifting ice levels, exploding volcanoes — while trying to hit food orders before time runs out. It's the reference example of "shared-screen" co-op, where everyone sees one camera instead of a split view. Current price.

Moving Out and its sequel apply the same physics-chaos format to furniture removal: carrying a couch through a doorway becomes a full team exercise. Up to four players, deliberately clumsy controls, and a difficulty curve that works across ages.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga covers all nine mainline Star Wars films in drop-in/drop-out two-player local co-op. It's essentially impossible to fail a level outright, which makes it one of the best options for pairing an experienced player with a total beginner. Check the listing.

Minecraft supports split-screen for up to four players on one PS5 (subject to your display's resolution) as well as full online play. There's no fixed objective, so two people can genuinely do different things — one building, one exploring — while sharing the same world. Its longevity makes it a low-risk purchase for a family or group that will keep coming back to it.

Best Squad Shooters and Online Co-op

For groups spread across different homes, these are the games worth the subscription and the scheduling effort.

Helldivers 2 is the standout co-op shooter on PS5 right now. Up to four players drop into procedurally generated missions armed with escalating "stratagems," and friendly fire is always on — which is exactly where most of the game's best stories come from. Check current pricing.

Deep Rock Galactic puts four players into distinct mining roles — Driller, Scout, Gunner, Engineer — inside procedurally generated cave systems. Because each class plays completely differently, a full squad never feels redundant, and runs are short enough to fit into a single evening. See the listing.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a four-player co-op horde shooter set in the grim, vertical hive city of Tertium. It leans more intense and skill-demanding than Helldivers 2, with melee combat that rewards timing as much as aim — a good pick for a group that's already comfortable with squad shooters and wants something harder.

Hell Let Loose takes a very different approach: large-scale, realistic World War II combined-arms combat where communication and role discipline matter more than reflexes. It's a better fit for a dedicated squad who wants tactical depth over pure chaos than for a casual couch session.

Diablo IV supports full online co-op through its campaign and endgame, with loot and difficulty scaling to your party size. It's the pick for a group that wants a long-haul game to return to over months rather than a single session — seasons keep the build-crafting loop alive well past launch. Check the current price.

Borderlands 3 remains one of the best long-campaign co-op shooters, supporting up to four players in both local split-screen and online play, with loot scaling per player so nobody feels like they're just along for the ride.

Rocket League deserves a mention purely because it's free. Up to four players can share one screen for rocket-powered football, and the skill ceiling is high enough that it stays interesting for years. It's the zero-risk way to introduce someone to competitive couch gaming.

Fortnite supports both split-screen and online squads for free, and its constantly rotating modes mean there's usually something for a mixed-skill group beyond just the core battle royale.

Quick Reference Table

How to Buy These Games for Less

Co-op titles tend to have long commercial tails, since groups keep buying them for years after launch, but there are still reliable ways to pay less:

• Check price history before buying. A "40% off" badge doesn't mean much if the game has previously hit 60% off. The PlatPrices price history tool shows the all-time low for any title so you know if a current sale is genuinely good.
• Use Friend's Pass titles when available. It Takes Two, Split Fiction, and A Way Out all let a second player join for free, effectively halving the cost for a duo.
• Watch for seasonal sales. Party and family titles like Overcooked and Moving Out see frequent, deep discounts outside of just the big seasonal windows — set a price alert instead of checking manually.
• Check PS Plus Extra and Premium. Several of these titles rotate through the catalog periodically. Compare the subscription cost against buying individually before paying full price.

Browse the full live PS Store discounts page to see what's reduced right now, or head to platprices.com to set alerts on anything from this list that isn't at a good price yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best co-op games on PS5?

It Takes Two, Split Fiction, Helldivers 2, Overcooked! All You Can Eat, and Deep Rock Galactic are consistently ranked among the best co-op games on PS5, covering everything from two-player story adventures to four-player squad shooters.

What PS5 games support split-screen?

Sackboy: A Big Adventure, Overcooked! All You Can Eat, Moving Out, It Takes Two, Split Fiction, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Minecraft, Borderlands 3, and Rocket League all support local split-screen or shared-screen play on PS5. Support varies by title and isn't always advertised clearly, so confirm on the specific store page before buying.

Do I need PS Plus for co-op on PS5?

Local split-screen and shared-screen co-op never require PS Plus — two people on one console can always play together. Online co-op in a paid game requires PS Plus Essential or higher for each participant, with genuinely free-to-play titles like Fortnite and Rocket League being the main exception.

What is the best two-player game on PS5?

It Takes Two is the most consistently recommended two-player game on PS5, followed closely by Split Fiction and A Way Out — all three are built strictly around a pair of players and include a Friend's Pass so only one person needs to buy the game.

Is Helldivers 2 good for a group of friends?

Yes. Helldivers 2 supports up to four players online and is specifically designed around teamwork, communication, and shared chaos from its always-on friendly fire. It's one of the best current squad shooters for a group that already plays online together regularly.

Whichever game you pick, the price is worth checking before you buy — browse current PS Store deals to see what's discounted today, or head to the PlatPrices homepage to track prices across regions for anything on this list.