Can you play Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons with two controllers?
The short answer is yes, it is possible to play Brothers with two controllers through the use of remapping software, but there is no official support built into the game itself on most platforms. Read on for more details!
About Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Brothers first launched in 2013 as an Xbox 360 exclusive title before coming to PlayStation and PC later that year. The game was widely acclaimed for its emotive storytelling and innovative control scheme. It won numerous awards, including GameSpot‘s 2013 Game of the Year.
As of 2022, Brothers has sold over 3 million copies across all platforms. Review aggregator Metacritic holds it as one of the highest rated Xbox 360 games of all time based on over 100 critic reviews.
The Control Scheme Conundrum
Brothers stands out for its central mechanic of controlling one brother with the left analog stick and the other brother with the right. This creates fascinating puzzle and platforming challenges.
However, it also technically makes Brothers a single-player only affair. Enabling local co-op would require decoupling the brothers‘ movements to allow two controllers to share control.
Using Remapping Software
Clever gamers discovered that tools like xpadder and antimicro will allow remapping a second controller to keyboard inputs. So while cumbersome, it is possible to assign one controller to the WASD keys for moving Brother One and the second controller to the arrow keys for Brother Two.
The process takes some trial-and-error but with enough tweaking, you can get two controllers working for Brothers‘ co-op. However, the experience is not as seamless as games designed specifically for two players. Those looking for the smoothest experience would do better to await official co-op support.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here is a quick guide to remapping Brothers for co-op play:
- Download and install xpadder, antimicro, or a similar remapping software
- Launch Brothers on your platform of choice
- Configure one controller to map to WASD for movement and its triggers/bumpers to relevant actions
- Repeat the process for the second controller, mapping it to the arrow keys
- Launch Brothers and test both controllers. Adjust bindings as needed.
With some tweaking, you‘ll be traversing Brothers‘ world together in no time!
Official Local Co-Op Support
In 2019, an update finally added official local and online co-op support to Brothers on Xbox One and PC via the "Brothers: A Tale of Two Two Sons – Co-op DLC."
This update allowed two players to take control of one brother each using separate controllers. It even included special co-op only sections tailored specifically for two players.
What About Nintendo Switch and PlayStation?
Sadly, this co-op update has not yet made its way to Nintendo Switch or PlayStation 4 and 5.
The Switch version does allow local co-op by splitting the Joy-Cons so each player gets one half. However, the experience is essentially just passing the same controller back and forth.
As of late 2022, no update or plans have been announced regarding official co-op coming to PlayStation or improving the Switch version. Fans continue clamoring for Brothers co-op parity across all platforms.
I speculate an eventual expanded re-release could bring co-op support to the remaining platforms. However, whether 505 Games and Starbreeze prioritize that is yet to be seen.
Co-op Support Summary
| Platform | Official Co-op? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox One | Yes | Full local + online co-op support |
| PC (Steam) | Yes | Full local + online co-op support |
| Nintendo Switch | Partial | Split Joy-Con support only |
| PlayStation 4 & 5 | No | Requires remapping software |
Final Verdict on Brothers Co-Op
As a long-time passionate fan of Brothers, I highly recommend playing through the game cooperatively if at all possible. The emotional story of sibling bonds lends itself perfectly to sharing the journey with a real-life friend or family member.
While getting two controllers working properly requires some technical know-how, the extra effort pays dividends in experience. Remapping software can get the job done, but I advise waiting for native co-op if you want the smoothest gameplay.
I sincerely hope 505 Games continues supporting Brothers with expanded platform support for its excellent co-op mode. In the meantime, gathering a couch co-op partner and working through the remapping frustrations is an entertaining endeavor that all dedicated fans should try!
Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions about playing Brothers with two controllers! I‘m always happy to chat more about one of my all-time favorite games.
