Best Co-op Games to Play With Friends in 2026

A co-op game can be a two-player story, a four-person kitchen scramble or an online expedition for a larger squad. This 2026 selection compares what matters before you invite anyone: player count, local and online modes, exact crossplay support, platform limits and whether a guest needs a copy.

Quick picks by group

• For two who want a story: Split Fiction or It Takes Two; both are built around two players and offer a friend pass for online play.
• For two on the same sofa: A Way Out is a split-screen crime story; Overcooked! All You Can Eat and Moving Out 2 are easier to share in a larger room.
• For four on one screen: Overcooked! All You Can Eat and Moving Out 2 support up to four locally. Minecraft Bedrock split-screen is available on console.
• For mixed platforms: Split Fiction, Moving Out 2, Overcooked! All You Can Eat, Baldur’s Gate 3, Helldivers 2, Warframe, Phasmophobia and Content Warning have documented crossplay, with the platform combinations below.
• For a free starting point: Warframe is free-to-play and supports cross-platform squads; purchases are optional.
• For horror: Phasmophobia is methodical ghost investigation; Content Warning is a short-form group filming run; R.E.P.O. mixes retrieval, physics and horror for up to six online players.

How this selection was made

The list favours games where cooperation is central, then balances story, couch play, party chaos, role-playing, action, survival and horror. We included older releases that remain available and useful in 2026. The choice is editorial: there is no numeric ranking, personal play-test claim or assumed popularity score.

• Cooperation is a core mode rather than an incidental squad option.
• The game offers a distinct reason to play together, such as shared puzzles, coordination, a campaign or a group objective.
• The number of players, platforms, local/online modes and crossplay can be checked against current official documentation.
• Practical differences such as Friend’s Pass, early access or separate game editions are surfaced instead of hidden.

Local, online, crossplay and progression are different

Local co-op means players share one device or console; split-screen is one local format that divides the display. Online co-op connects separate devices over the internet. Crossplay lets players on specified platforms join the same session. Cross-progression carries saves or items between platforms and does not, by itself, let friends play together. A Friend’s Pass is a separate access offer, not crossplay.

The co-op games, compared

Two-player story adventures

Split Fiction

Mio and Zoe move through science-fiction and fantasy scenarios that change how the pair solve problems. Its co-op is designed for two. On Switch, local play is available on Switch 2; the original Switch can join only a nearby Switch 2 player through GameShare, not as a native game version or online crossplay.

Players: 2. Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2. Play: local couch co-op or online. Crossplay: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch 2. Copy: online Friend’s Pass lets one owner invite a friend; EA account and internet required. Source: EA platform and Friend’s Pass details.

It Takes Two

Cody and May’s adventure alternates platforming, puzzles and changing mechanics that ask both players to contribute. It is strictly two-player and works locally or online. The 2026 Switch 2 release adds online crossplay; the original Switch has special compatibility limits.

Players: 2. Platforms: PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series, Switch and Switch 2. Play: local split-screen or online. Crossplay: PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch 2; the original Switch is excluded from crossplay. Switch 2 can connect to an original Switch locally through GameShare. Copy: Friend’s Pass; one full-game owner for the full adventure. Source: EA’s 2026 Switch 2 and crossplay announcement.

A Way Out

This prison-break story keeps both players on a split-screen, even when they play online. It is a good fit when you want a two-person, story-led session and its Friend Pass can cover the invited player, but it does not offer broad cross-platform matchmaking.

Players: 2. Platforms: PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Play: split-screen in local or online play. Crossplay: EA says invited players must use the same type of platform; do not assume PC-to-console play. Copy: the owner can invite one player using Friend Pass. On console, both players need PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Core; the free trial is not available in Germany. Source: EA Friend Pass support.

Couch co-op and party play

Moving Out 2

Packing and moving furniture becomes a physics-based team task, with levels that let a group work together locally or online. It is a straightforward pick for a mixed group because Team17 says crossplay is supported across its listed platforms.

Players: 1–4 locally; 2–4 online. Platforms: Steam, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series and Switch. Play: local and online. Crossplay: Team17 says the listed platforms can join together online. Copy: no Friend Pass is listed; online players need access to the game. Source: Team17 Moving Out 2 page; Nintendo player count.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat

This remastered collection brings the first two cooking games together, asking up to four players to coordinate orders and kitchen stations. Its All You Can Eat edition supports crossplay across PC and consoles when everyone uses that same edition.

Players: up to 4. Platforms: PC (Steam/Epic), PS4/5, Xbox One/Series and Switch. Play: local and online. Crossplay: Team17 supports crossplay across the listed platforms in All You Can Eat; every player in the group needs this edition. Do not assume crossplay with another Overcooked! edition. Copy: no Friend Pass is listed. Source: Team17 updated FAQ.

Minecraft (Bedrock Edition)

For an open-ended shared world, Bedrock lets friends build, explore and survive together across Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and mobile. Console Bedrock also supports up to four players in local split-screen. Java Edition is a separate multiplayer pool: Java and Bedrock players cannot join one another directly.

Players: online capacity depends on the world, Realm or server; Bedrock console split-screen supports up to 4. Platforms: Bedrock on Windows 10/11, Xbox, PS4/5, Switch, Android and iOS; Java on Windows, Mac and Linux. Play: local split-screen on supported consoles and online. Crossplay: supported Bedrock devices can play together; Java and Bedrock do not directly join one another. Access: each online player needs a compatible edition and Microsoft/platform account; console online membership may be required. Source: Minecraft Java vs Bedrock, accounts required, multiplayer requirements.

Build, role-play and fight together

Baldur’s Gate 3

This story-rich role-playing campaign supports up to four online players and local split-screen for two. Patch 8 added crossplay between PC, Mac, PlayStation 5 and Xbox; a Larian account is needed to set up crossplay, and modded groups must match their mod list and versions.

Players: up to 4 online; local split-screen for 2. Platforms: PC, Mac, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Play: local and online. Crossplay: PC, Mac, PlayStation and Xbox through Larian’s crossplay lobby; link a Larian account to set it up. Progression: cross-platform progression is separate; crossplay groups using mods need matching mod lists and versions. Copy: online players need access to the game; local split-screen shares one system. Source: Larian multiplayer FAQ, Patch 8 announcement, crossplay setup and mods.

Helldivers 2

A squad-based shooter built around missions and shared objectives, Helldivers 2 caps squads at four and requires online play. Arrowhead confirms crossplay among PC, PlayStation and Xbox, but says there is no cross-save or cross-progression between copies.

Players: 1–4. Platforms: PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Play: online only; no local co-op. Crossplay: PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Progression: no cross-save or cross-progression. Copy: each player needs access to the game and an online connection. Source: Arrowhead on crossplay and progression and official FAQ.

Warframe

This free-to-play action game sends squads through missions across a long-running science-fiction universe. Digital Extremes documents cross-platform squads of up to four across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and mobile. Cross-platform saving is a separate account-linking feature.

Players: squads up to 4. Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and mobile. Play: online missions; no couch co-op. Crossplay: supported across the listed platforms. Progression: cross-platform save is separate and requires account linking; check account eligibility. Access: free-to-play with optional purchases. Source: Digital Extremes cross-platform guide and new-player guide.

Co-op horror for different group sizes

Phasmophobia

In this ghost-hunting investigation game, a team gathers evidence and works out what is haunting a location. Up to four can play online, with optional crossplay between PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Release-stage labels differ by store: Steam says Early Access, Xbox says Game Preview, and the PS5 store does not use that label. The developer’s June 2026 roadmap moved version 1.0 and the Switch 2 release to 2027.

Players: 1–4 online. Platforms: PC, PS5/PSVR2 and Xbox Series X|S. Play: online only; no local co-op. Crossplay: optional among PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Release status: Steam labels the PC version Early Access; Xbox lists Game Preview, while the PS5 store does not use that same label. The developer’s June 2026 roadmap moved version 1.0 and the Switch 2 release to 2027; Switch 2 is not counted as available. Source: Kinetic Games crossplay announcement, Steam, Xbox listing, 2026 roadmap.

Content Warning

A group explores a strange world, films encounters and tries to bring footage back. Landfall lists PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch 1 and 2, and confirms joining across all platforms by lobby code. The published FAQ does not describe local couch co-op.

Players: up to 4 online. Platforms: Steam PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch and Switch 2. Play: online sessions via lobby codes; local co-op is not listed. Crossplay: Landfall says players can join across all listed platforms. Console access: online play requires PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online, as applicable. Copy: each player needs access to the game. Source: Landfall FAQ; Steam listing.

R.E.P.O.

This online horror game has a crew of up to six retrieving physics-based objects while avoiding monsters. At the cut-off it is a Windows PC game on Steam in Early Access; the listing does not confirm local play or crossplay, so plan on one PC/Steam group rather than a mixed-console session.

Players: up to 6. Platforms: Windows PC via Steam. Play: online co-op only; no local play listed. Crossplay: not confirmed in the Steam feature list. Status: Early Access. Copy: each online player needs Steam access; no Friend Pass is listed. Source: semiwork’s Steam listing.

Choose by the way your group plays

Start with the combination that can actually join the same lobby. A game that is ideal for four friends on one sofa may not help if one uses a PC and the others use consoles. Read the platform and edition note before comparing price or genre.

• Two players on different platforms: Split Fiction supports crossplay between PC, PS5, Xbox Series and Switch 2. It Takes Two supports PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch 2 crossplay, but excludes the original Switch; Switch 2 can connect to it locally with GameShare.
• Four on a couch: Moving Out 2 and Overcooked! All You Can Eat support four local players; Minecraft Bedrock split-screen is console-only.
• Friends on different platforms: Moving Out 2, Split Fiction, Warframe, Helldivers 2, Phasmophobia and Content Warning have explicit crossplay, but compare the exact platform list above.
• A longer campaign together: It Takes Two, A Way Out and Baldur’s Gate 3 give the group a shared progression or story; they are not interchangeable in player count or platform support.
• A group of five or six: R.E.P.O. supports up to six online on PC; most other picks here cap at four.

A quick check before buying

1. Confirm the exact platform and edition each person owns. “Available on several systems” does not mean crossplay.
2. Decide whether you need local split-screen, online play or both. “Local co-op” does not guarantee online multiplayer.
3. Count players for the mode you plan to use, not for the whole game’s broader multiplayer.
4. Console online access: requirements differ by game and platform; check the relevant console store or publisher support page before relying on online co-op. Free-to-play games may follow different rules.
5. For online groups, check whether each player needs a copy, whether a Friend’s Pass works on that platform and whether your console subscription is required.
6. Separate crossplay from cross-progression. If you want to carry saves or purchases between devices, verify that feature independently.
7. For Early Access games, expect features and platform availability to change; confirm again before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the best co-op game for two people? Split Fiction and It Takes Two are built for two. A Way Out is another story-focused option, but its online Friend Pass is restricted to the same platform type.
• Which games here support four players on one screen? Moving Out 2 and Overcooked! All You Can Eat support up to four locally; Minecraft Bedrock supports up to four split-screen players on consoles.
• Does crossplay mean cross-progression? No. Crossplay joins a shared session across systems. Cross-progression moves saves or items between systems; a game may offer one without the other.
• Can Java and Bedrock Minecraft players join each other? Not directly through the standard versions. Choose Bedrock across supported devices or keep everyone on Java.
• Can one person buy a game for the whole group? Friend’s Pass can cover an online partner in Split Fiction, It Takes Two or A Way Out under each game’s terms. For the other online games, check the linked store; this guide does not assume family sharing.
• Which co-op game is free? Warframe is free-to-play, though it offers optional purchases. “Free” does not mean every cosmetic or item is included.
• Are these all new games from 2026? No. The year describes the selection and feature check, not each game’s original release date.