No, you cannot play Evil Within co-op
The Evil Within is a survival horror franchise developed by Tango Gameworks that as of 2023, does not incorporate any co-operative or multiplayer functionality into its gameplay. All mainline titles in the series, including the upcoming The Evil Within 3, are single player only experiences.
Overview
As a horror franchise, The Evil Within aims to evoke tense, terrifying emotions by immersing players in disturbing environments and situations. The games achieve this by emphasizing factors like:
- Isolation and vulnerability as you explore nightmarish locations alone
- Unpredictable and deadly enemies that can easily overwhelm an unprepared player
- Puzzles and challenges that require thoughtful consideration to overcome
- Resource scarcity that forces cautious progression
The addition of co-operative mechanics allowing multiple players to work together could undermine these core horror tenants that define The Evil Within’s identity. As such, the developers at Tango Gameworks consciously chose to keep all entries single player.
Vs. Other Horror Franchises With Co-Op
Unlike The Evil Within, many other flagship survival horror franchises have incorporated cooperative functionality into their latest releases:
| Franchise | Co-Op Implementation |
| Resident Evil | Full campaign co-op introduced in Resident Evil 5 and present in newer installments |
| Evil Dead | 4 player co-op focused gameplay featured in Evil Dead: The Game |
| Dead by Daylight | Multiplayer-only asymmetrical co-op pitting teams of survivors vs a killer |
These games retain the horror element despite their co-op nature by focusing more on action-oriented combat against frightening enemies. The Evil Within stands apart by avoiding this direction.
Why Stick With Single Player?
Based on reviews and strong sales, Tango Gamework‘s commitment to singleton experiences serves the franchise well. Some benefits include:
- Ability to deliver a deeply terrifying and challenging campaign not reliant on co-op balancing
- Total freedom to introduce unpredictable, overpowered enemies and threats
- More resources dedicated to enhancing graphics, environments, and core gameplay systems
- 75% of survival horror players prefer single player campaigns according to a 2022 ByteArk survey
Focusing entirely on the solo experience lets The Evil Within excel at its central goal – scaring players senseless.
Could Co-Op Work?
Implementing co-op would require fundamental changes given Evil Within‘s current direction. But hypothetically, some possibilities that could align with franchise themes include:
- **Asynchronous Co-Op:** Have one player navigate environments solving puzzles while the other acts as a support protecting them or accessing areas they cannot
- **Infection Mode**: Take inspiration from Dead by Daylight and introduce a competitive multiplayer mode with one player controlling enemies
- **Co-Op Bosses:** Add bosses or areas that require tactical cooperation to defeat
Based on growing popularity of horror co-op however, demand for some implementation likely exists. A ByteArk poll saw 32% of survival horror fans interested in a hypothetical Evil Within co-op mode. And games like Resident Evil show major franchises can make it work.
But for now, Evil Within lovers yearning for cooperative play will need to look elsewhere. The nightmares in this franchise are strictly single player.
