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The 10 Best Split-Screen PS5 Games

Published

10 months ago

July 6, 2023

Shawna Schofield

What are the best split-screen PS5 games?

Online multiplayer is great because it allows you to meet and play with friends from around the world.

However, there’s just something special about split-screen games where you can share the gameplay experience in the same space.

Before online gaming took off, split-screen was how friends played together, and fortunately, games with this feature still exist on the PS5!

The 10 Best Split Screen PS5 Games

To select the best split-screen PS5 games, we looked at gameplay, multiplayer mechanics, and ratings from players.

We’ve also tried to add a little something for everyone, from FPS to survival games, all with split-screen capabilities.

So, grab your friends and check out our list of the 10 best split-screen PS5 games:

10. Minecraft

Kicking off our list, we have none other than Minecraft! While this sandbox game officially debuted in 2011, it still remains one of the most popular in the world.

However, it is also a PS5 game that can be played with a friend using a split-screen, and it is really easy to set up.

All you have to do is either load a previous world or create a new one and then turn on multiplayer in the multiplayer settings menu.

Once the world is loaded, you can activate the second player’s controller as prompted, and your friend can either log in or play as a guest.

This multiplayer mode works for up to four players, but if you’re only playing with one friend, you can choose between vertical and horizontal split-screen modes.

When all of this is set up, you can set about exploring the world together, building bases, and whatever else you want!

Because Minecraft is one of the best PS5 survival games, it can be nice to have someone watching your back, especially if you’re venturing deep underground!

9. Ark: Survival Evolved

Ark: Survival Evolved is another survival game where having a friend to rely on can make staying alive much easier!

This game tosses players onto an island where towering dinosaurs rule the land, and you’ll either have to find a way to survive or die trying.

Starting off in this game, you and your friend will have absolutely nothing, and you’ll have to work together to harvest resources, grow food, and build a shelter.

Oh, and you’ll also want to work on taming the local wildlife, because the other players on the island won’t hesitate to use their tamed beasts against you!

Making things even more difficult is the fact that death is permanent, meaning you will lose all of your progress if you get unlucky!

Yeah, this is the type of game where having friends really pays off, and when you play split-screen mode, it’s even easier to cooperate!

Although the Ark: Survival Evolved Remaster has been delayed, the original is still one of the best split-screen games on the PS5.

8. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

The best LEGO games of all time are always fun to play, and The Skywalker Saga is no exception, especially given how much content it contains.

This game is absolutely massive, and it spans all nine Skywalker Saga films, giving you absolute hours of entertainment.

While playing, you and your friends can explore 25 iconic planets, control over 100 unique vehicles, and unlock over 300 playable characters!

Yeah, there are an absolute ton of characters to unlock, including variations of the same character throughout the films.

For example, you can unlock Anakin Skywalker as a podracer or pilot, as well as with his Episode II appearance or his Episode III final form.

Seriously, there are a ton of characters from each film to unlock, and trying to get all 380 is an achievement in and of itself!

While playing LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga solo is fun, there’s just something special about playing it with a friend on split-screen.

A lot of gamers today grew up playing LEGO games, so it’s a bit nostalgic to be able to relive those days on the PS5!

7. Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Call of Duty is another franchise that many gamers likely grew up with, and Black Ops Cold War quickly became the best-selling game of 2020, thanks to its popularity.

A direct sequel to Black Ops, this game brings back Woods, Hudson, and Mason as they navigate the volatile world of the early 1980s.

Throughout this game, players can take part in missions and conflicts raging around the globe, from East Berlin and Vietnam to the KGB Headquarters and Turkey.

Using split-screen multiplayer, you can tackle these missions with a friend or head over to Zombies to try and take out as many undead as possible.

Zombies mode even has its own new storyline called Dark Aether, which expands upon the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 storyline.

This mode alone offers a ton of gameplay, and you can even create your own class and choose from unique starting loadouts.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a fantastic split-screen PS5 game, and while solo mode is fun, playing with friends is even better!

6. Dirt 5

Dirt 5 is one of the best PS5 racing games, and its split-screen multiplayer mode is perfect for up to four players.

This game is the ultimate off-road experience, and it allows you to race across maps covered in sand, ice, snow, and mud.

There are over 70 unique routes you can race, which are set in 10 unique locations across the globe, each with dynamic environments.

One race can take you along the North River in New York, while the next puts you under the stunning Northern Lights in frozen Norway.

Conditions are always changing, the terrain is unforgiving, and trying to beat your friends is incredibly addictive.

In local split-screen, you can take on your friends in individual races or play along with them in Career Mode.

You can even use the new Photo Mode to take snapshots of your shenanigans as you all clamber to be number one!

If you and your friends love racing games, Dirt 5 is an absolute must-play the next time you all hang out!

5. Rocket League

This game combines soccer with cars, and it’s absolutely as over-the-top and as insane as it sounds.

In Rocket League, players take control of various stock cars that are capable of jumping and rocket boosting.

The objective is to smack around a giant soccer ball and try to get it into the opposing team’s goal. Though this is much easier said than done.

During offline matches, you can play either with or against your friends, and you can even change the rules entirely to be more hockey or basketball-inspired.

To make your car stand out on the field, you can also completely customize it with over 500 trillion possible cosmetic combinations!

Yeah, your car can look totally different from anyone else’s, but it’s really easy to spend way too much time trying to pimp your ride.

Rocket League is an absolute gem of an arcade game, and it’s currently in its 11th season, which comes with special reward opportunities.

Now is the perfect time for you and your friends to dive into this hilariously fun game and see who is the best on the field!

4. Fortnite

Fortnite is known for its huge online battle royale matches, but you can also play using split-screen with a friend!

To make this work, all you have to do is connect both controllers and have the first player invite the second to select their account.

Once an account has been selected, the second player will appear in the lobby, and split-screen mode will automatically kick in when the game begins.

Split-screen makes playing Duos or Squads so much easier as you can actually communicate with each other in real-time.

While this can also work online, it is often a lot harder to coordinate your defenses when you’re miles apart and only have voice chat.

Fortnite is always a fun game to play, even though it became a bit of a meme after its initial rise in popularity.

Plus, it’s completely free to play, so there is no reason not to jump in and start playing if you’re looking for a competitive game to play with a friend!

3. Borderlands 3

While the entire Borderlands series is great to play with friends, it’s the third game that really stands out on the PS5.

This game has all of the action and humor that you’d expect, and it introduced a new lineup of Vault Hunters to play as.

What we really love about this game is that you can always add a second player, no matter what either of your levels are.

Just like the previous games, you can have a friend join you at any point to help you throughout the campaign.

While not all fans enjoyed the story in Borderlands 3, this isn’t such a big deal when you’re going through it with a friend.

Plus, the gameplay is definitely much improved when compared to its predecessors, which makes it incredibly fun anyway.

It is certainly one of the best PS5 FPS games in our book, and it’s really hard to put down once you start playing!

2. It Takes Two

It takes two is a game that literally requires two players, and there is no way to complete it on your own.

This game is a bit like Grounded. Only the two main protagonists are a divorcing couple who find themselves trapped in the bodies of their daughter’s dolls.

As these characters, players must work together to overcome a series of challenging levels, each of which introduces a new ability or mechanic.

You can’t just rush ahead and leave your friend behind either, as both players have to use their skills together to make progress.

This is easily one of the best multiplayer PS5 games, and its unique mechanics make it incredibly fun to play.

We also have to commend its story as one of the most wholesome and heartwarming we have ever had the pleasure of playing.

The writing makes the cooperative experience feel so much more memorable than a standard co-op, and we couldn’t recommend it more highly!

1. Stardew Valley

Taking our number one spot is Stardew Valley, an incredibly chill game that is a great way to spend an evening with a friend.

However, you can’t just jump into a local co-op session because you’ll first have to make sure the town has enough cabins!

In this game, you can have up to three cabins, allowing three of your friends to join you, and to build them, you’ll need to speak with Robin.

Of course, if you don’t feel like spending resources on building cabins, you can also start a new game.

When starting a new game, you can change how many cabins your town starts off with by using the Advanced Farm Settings Menu.

Once you have the number of cabins you need, you can open the game menu, enter multiplayer, and select “Start Local Co-Op.”

You and your friends can then run around in the amazing world of Stardew Valley, building up your farm, chatting up NPCs, and delving into the deep mines for resources!

We absolutely love co-op in Stardew Valley because it’s such a laid-back and relaxing game to play with friends when you just want to unwind!