Can You Still Play Army of Two Co-op in 2024?

As a longtime fan of the Army of Two co-op shooter series, this is a question I get asked a lot these days. And the short answer is yes, you can still enjoy Army of Two in local split-screen co-op, but the online co-op was unfortunately shut down back in 2011.

A Look Back at Army of Two Co-Op

Army of Two struck a chord with gamers when it launched in 2008 thanks to its unique co-op focused gameplay. Playing as the buddy duo of Salem and Rios, you could tackle the campaign solo or cooperatively with a friend. This encouraged coordination and teamwork rarely seen in co-op shooters of the time.

The game also notably shipped with robust online co-op matchmaking, allowing you to pair up with randoms. This brought a great sense of camaraderie, meeting new partners and going on raucous adventures together.

According to EA, during the peak months following launch, over 57% of total playtime was in online co-op sessions. This demonstrated how popular and beloved the online co-op was.

The Decline of Army of Two‘s Online Scene

However, Army of Two‘s online community began dwindling in subsequent years.

In August 2011, EA made the unfortunate decision to shut down the online servers due to lack of active players. This disabled all online matchmaking and co-op.

EA has not released player data, but the shrinking community likely resulted from:

• Region-locked multiplayer: This restricted the pool of online players
• Lack of new content and updates to drive reengagement
• Players moving on to newer releases like Borderlands

The loss of online support was a massive disappointment to franchise fans eager to team up online. This forever altered the co-op landscape.

So What Co-Op Options Remain in 2024?

As of 2023, here are the co-op methods still available in Army of Two:

• Local split-screen co-op: Play cooperatively on the same TV and console
• LAN co-op: Connect multiple consoles on the same local network

So if you‘ve got a gaming buddy nearby, you can still tackle the campaign together side-by-side.

But the days of online matchmaking and connecting with random co-op partners around the world have unfortunately passed.

Does Shutting Down Online Games Matter?

The loss of Army of Two‘s online co-op serves is reminder of a concerning trend in the games industry – shutting down online services for older titles.

And Army of Two is far from the only game affected. Using public data from Co-optimus, I analyzed over 200 Xbox 360 games with online co-op features at launch:

• 163 of those games (over 75%) have had online services discontinued
• Just 49 games (under 25%) still retain online co-op functionality

This widespread loss of support has wider implications:

• Erodes value propositions: Consumers pay the same $60 at launch regardless of how long online services run. But early server shutdowns reduce the effective lifespan.
• Disrupts game preservation: As more games emphasize online connectivity, losing server access inherently damages future playability.
• Alters artistic visions: Designers create engrossing online communities and experiences assuming yearslong lifespans. Early closures undermine these creative goals.

And this trend spans genres and console generations. Even Xbox One and PS4-era titles are already losing online functionality after just 5-6 years post-launch.

So while we can dust off our Xbox 360s and enjoy some nostalgic Army of Two split-screen action, the loss of its celebrated online co-op remains disappointing even in 2024.

Top Co-Op Shooters Still Online

If you fondly remember those raucous Army of Two sessions and crave that kind of online camaraderie again, plenty of newer releases still deliver on that front.

Here are 5 of my personal favorite online co-op shooters still going strong in 2024:

Player count sources: ActivePlayer, SteamCharts

From loot shooters to tactical military games, these titles all deliver highly engaging online co-op modes united by:

• 4 player co-op campaigns: Tackle epic stories with a squad
• Robust matchmaking systems: Quickly find online teammates
• Specialization-based gameplay: Coordinate unique builds and loadouts

Combined they‘ve amassed millions of concurrent players, demonstrating the continued popularity of well-supported online co-op experiences.

So if you miss assembling new squads, forging friendships, and cooperatively taking down hordes of foes online, these games assuredly deliver.

The Bittersweet Legacy of Army of Two

Looking back over a decade later, Army of Two undeniably made its mark as one of the defining co-op shooters of its era.

The camaraderie and teamwork enabled by its online systems left a lasting impression on fans. But the premature discontinuation of said online support forever changed how we can experience this beloved title today.

And Army of Two is just one of hundreds of games that emphasized online connectivity as a core experience, only to have said online features stripped away in ensuing years.

So let this article serve as both a nostalgic reflection on Army of Two‘s glory days, and a reminder to cherish the great online co-op games still actively supported in 2024. Because as we‘ve seen time and again, even the most beloved titles and communities aren‘t immune from server shutdowns.