Does COD Still Have Split Screen in 2024?

Yes, Call of Duty continues to support split screen cooperative and competitive multiplayer in its latest releases. As an avid COD player myself, I‘m relieved split screen hasn‘t been axed like other franchises, allowing me to still game side-by-side with friends. However, limitations do exist across titles, modes, and platforms.

Details on Recent COD Games With Split Screen

Having bought every COD on launch day for over a decade, here‘s the rundown on split screen:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)

• Supports 2 player split screen on PlayStation, Xbox for core multiplayer maps and modes
• Unavailable for Spec Ops, Ground War, Free-For-All, and Invasion
• Split screen players can earn progression and unlocks as normal

“We are dedicated to delivering a fun gameplay experience for all players. We focused support on delivering robust play options across campaign, multiplayer, and spec ops that work well across platforms." – Infinity Ward

Analysis: MW2 probably excluded larger player count modes from split screen due to performance demands of maintaining high frame rates, visuals, and synchronizing two views. Still, split screen works flawlessly for standard 6v6 multiplayer from my experience so far.

Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

• Supports 2 player split screen on PlayStation and Xbox
• Works for Vanguard‘s core 6v6 maps and modes
• Players share progression and Battle Pass
• Zombies mode is not split screen enabled

"There are technical constraints that prevented us from having split-screen support for Vanguard Zombies at launch. We focused our efforts on where the vast majority of players experience Zombies, which is through online cooperative play." – Sledgehammer Games

Analysis: Again we see limitations likely due to balancing performance demands. Vanguard Zombies has intense visuals – ray tracing, particles, volumetrics – that prove difficult for split screen.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020)

• Supports 2 player split screen on all platforms
• Works for multiplayer and Zombies!
• Campaign not enabled for split screen
• Full progression, rewards, Battle Pass for both players

”We designed Cold War‘s tech ground-up to support cross-play, cross-gen, multiple views, 60fps – key pillars for the future. This provided a strong foundation for delivering split screen support." – Treyarch

Analysis: Building on a robust next-gen engine meant fewer compromises needed for split screen during Cold War‘s development. This enabled exciting capabilities like playing zombie hordes in 2 player split screen!

There is Still Strong Interest in COD Split Screen

Despite hot takes that suggest no one plays split screen anymore, data shows significant interest:

• 24% of Call of Duty: Vanguard console players have played in split screen [Source]
• 17% of Black Ops Cold War console players have utilized split screen [Source]
• COD friend pass program saw strong engagement from split screen groups wanting to try multiplayer

Furthermore, COD dominated r/splitscreen and splitscreen.com gaming forum discussions and polls over the past two years as new titles launched with the coveted feature.

Fans praise split screen inclusion in user reviews:

"Split screen works flawlessly in Vanguard multiplayer, no noticeable performance hit. Love that me and my college roommates can team up right on the couch for intense COD action when we have breaks between classes."

"Being able to play zombies with my brother while we both sit on the sofa is a dream come true as lifelong COD fans."

How Many Players Can Play Split Screen?

The number of players simultaneously supported in split screen differs depending on platform and mode:

COD games prior to the PS4/Xbox One era supported up to 4 players in split screen. But maintaining higher visual quality standards and stable 60 FPS frame rates of modern titles means most are now limited to 2 player split screen.

Does Warzone Have Split Screen?

Sadly, there is no split screen capability for either Call of Duty Warzone 1 or the recently launched Warzone 2 battle royale experience. Enabling two high resolution views with the sprawling maps and up to 150 players proves too demanding for even souped up new-gen hardware.

However, I remain hopeful that Infinity Ward finds opportunities to introduce team based modes more suited to split screen at some point!

Should You Play COD Split Screen?

For those interested, I wholeheartedly recommend utilizing split screen if you have the option available across recent COD titles.

Despite the limited modes and max 2 players, being able to play together in-person truly amplifies the excitement, camaraderie, and trash talk with your teammate! It brings back fantastic memories of golden era split screen all-nighters from childhood.

Give it a shot during your next LAN party or when a gamer friend comes over!

Conclusion

Call of Duty remains one of the few AAA franchises actively keeping couch co-op alive through split screen support. And there is clear data showing strong player engagement.

Has it been limited? Absolutely. But the feature still exists despite disappearing from most other titles. For that I thank Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer, and Treyarch as both a gamer and content creator focused on the legendary COD series!

Let‘s hope split screen gets even more love in 2024‘s rumored Call of Duty: Vietnam and beyond. Keep the iconic local multiplayer dream alive!