Couch co-op means everyone in the same room, playing on one console or PC and one screen. It is the cheapest way to play co-op, because one copy is usually enough. It comes in two forms that suit different rooms: a shared screen, where everyone sees the same view, and split screen, where each player gets a part of it. This page explains the difference, what to sort out before people arrive, and shows live lists of both.

Shared screen or split screen

Shared screen. Everyone plays in one view. The camera either stays fixed or follows the group. It works on almost any screen, because nothing is cut into pieces. The catch is that nobody can wander off. The group moves together, and someone will always be dragging the camera the wrong way. That is part of the fun in most party games.

Split screen. Each player gets their own part of the screen and can explore on their own. It suits bigger games, where people want to go in different directions. The catch is size. Each player sees half or a quarter of the picture, and menus, maps and subtitles shrink with it.

We record the two separately. “Same couch” means several people can play together on one screen. “Split screen” means each player gets their own view. A game can have both.

Same couch

Split screen

Both lists are live and sorted by players’ votes. The same-screen player count can differ from the online count, so open a game to see how many fit on one screen.

Controllers

Count controllers before the evening, not during it. You need one per player, and they all need charge.

  • Check what the game accepts. On PC, some games take any controller, some only certain ones, and some let one player use the keyboard and mouse while the others use controllers. The store page usually lists controller support.
  • Plan for the spare. If you own two controllers and four people are coming, either borrow two or pick a game that works with two players taking turns.
  • Cables help. A long session drains wireless controllers. A charging cable within reach saves a break in the middle of a level.

Screen size and seating

Split screen asks more of the screen than shared screen does.

  • Two players split well on most TVs. Some games let you choose a vertical or horizontal split; try both.
  • Four players on split screen need a big screen and people sitting close enough to read their quarter. If your text is too small to read from the sofa, check the game’s options for a larger interface or text size.
  • A laptop or monitor works for two players on a shared screen. For four on split screen, it is usually too small.

Sit so that everyone can see the whole screen without leaning into the next person. It sounds obvious. It decides whether people want to play a second evening.

When someone can’t come over

Couch games used to need everyone in the room. Some platforms now let you share a local game with friends at home.

These are good ways to try a couch game with someone far away. They stream the game from the host, so lag is part of the deal. For a game you will play every week, buying it may still be the better choice.

A short checklist

Before the evening:

  1. Check the same-screen player count on the game page, not just the headline number.
  2. Count controllers and charge them.
  3. Decide shared screen or split screen based on your screen and how far the sofa is.
  4. If someone joins from home, check which sharing feature your platform has and whether it supports the game.

How these lists are built

Each list is a filter of our catalogue by way of playing: same couch or split screen. Games come from their developers, who submit them for review by a person, and from our editors, who add co-op games from their store pages and public sources. Each page says where its facts come from.

Each game page says where its facts come from: its developer or our editors. To combine filters, for example split screen on a given platform, use the full list.