Can you play PUBG split screen?

As a passionate gamer and guide writer for one of the world‘s most popular battle royale titles, I receive many questions around whether PlayerUnknown‘s Battlegrounds (PUBG) can be played with split screen multiplayer.

So let‘s cut right to the chase – no, PUBG does not currently support any form of native split screen capability on consoles or PC. While disappointing for local co-op fans, there are some workarounds if you want to share the experience.

PUBG‘s Focus as Online Multiplayer

As context, PUBG is fundamentally structured around online connectivity and does not emphasize local couch co-op play:

• Supports up to 100 real human players simultaneously per competitive match
• Has sold over 75 million copies globally as of 2022, making it one of the highest selling games ever
• Boasts up to 3 million concurrent players daily on Steam alone as of 2023

With huge investments made around server infrastructure and predictive analytics matching, PUBG‘s developers have clearly prioritized flawless online performance over local split screen polish.

PUBG vs. Other Battle Royale Titles

Unlike PUBG, some competing battle royale shooters have invested in split screen functionality:

This seems to be partly a philosophical difference – PUBG staying truer to its large scale, hyper competitive battle royale origins rather than adapting to social/living room gaming trends.

Analysis – Why No Split Screen in PUBG?

Based on PUBG‘s technical structure as an online shooter, here is my perspective on why split screen has not been prioritized:

• Massive maps – Supporting 2 views would tank performance
• Battle royale format – Sharing intel could undermine fairness
• Development resources – Other features take priority

Implementing smooth split screen co-op would likely require overhaul of textures, UI, inventory etc alongside netcode changes – so I sadly don‘t see PUBG patching it in anytime soon.

Workarounds for Local Co-op

While not true split screen, here are some ways my gaming friend group simulates playing PUBG together locally:

• Set up multiple displays in the same room so we‘re still playing side by side together.
• Use Discord on speaker for team voice chat to coordinate plays.
• Group up in custom matches rather than matchmaking to ensure we play on the same server.

It captures some of the camaraderie of split screen while working within PUBG‘s technical constraints.

The Verdict – Solo Screen For Now

I still regularly see demands from the PUBG community for local multiplayer support. As both a passionate gamer and guide writer myself, I also wish I could say PUBG accommodates split screen on the same display:

• Playing shooter campaigns co-op with my sibling is a nostalgic staple
• Hot seating for battle royale could be hilarious chaos
• It just feels more social than lonely online queues

Unfortunately based on historical priorities and development insights, I can definitively advise that PUBG remains focused on solo screen online play for now. We can continue asking for the feature, but should not expect it anytime soon when there are still stability issues and new maps taking priority.

I hope this deep dive has been insightful whether you‘re a PUBG enthusiast like myself or just casually researching the split screen possibility. Feel free to reach out with any other questions!