Is Split Screen Gaming Gone?
The short answer is no—despite becoming far less common over the past decade, split-screen gaming is not completely a thing of the past. While financial and technological factors have made local couch co-op less ubiquitous in recent years, passionate creators and niche audiences are keeping the beloved play style alive. And innovations on the horizon could pave the way for a split-screen gaming renaissance.
Is Split-Screen Gaming Still Around?
Although gaming industry reports indicate that only 15% of major game releases incorporated split-screen features in 2018 compared to over 65% in the early 2000s, some monumentally popular titles do still allow for side-by-side multiplayer. Franchises like Halo continue couch co-op traditions, with the Master Chief Collection enabling two-player campaign battles. And indie darlings like It Takes Two have found immense success by directly emphasizing shared-screen hijinks.
In 2022 and 2023, mainstream hits like tiny Tina‘s Wonderlands, Dying Light 2, and Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course demonstrated that demand still exists for accommodating crowded couches. And according to a recent player survey, over 64% of gamers wish more games offered split-screen functionality. So the appetite for this classic social experience certainly persists thanks to family gaming fans and those who grew up on Goldeneye slumber parties.
Why Did Split-Screen Gaming Decline?
In the early 2000s, split-screen couch play dominated as the best way to game with friends in the same room. But as display resolutions increased and games gained larger and more detailed 3D environments, the technical constraints of rendering multiple viewports on often underpowered consoles became increasingly apparent. Slowdown, visual compromises, and other performance hits frequently affected split-screen games of the early HD era.
And the rapid rise of online console gaming presented a compelling alternative—playing together remotely removed the need to develop robust local multiplayer features. As online communities blossomed and developers realized the monetization potential of downloadable content and microtransactions, resources shifted heavily away from accommodating groups of visitors in your living room.
| Year | % Major Releases with Split-Screen |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 67% |
| 2010 | 34% |
| 2018 | 15% |
Decline in split-screen support over the decades (Source)
Additionally, coordinating schedules for multiplayer meetups in the same house imposed logistical barriers beyond developers’ control. As online room invites and matchmaking streamlined playing together asynchronously across great distances, local couch play diminished—though for some, scheduling strife builds bonding!
Could Split-Screen Make a Comeback?
Though technologically and financially challenging, I believe the social spirit of side-by-side gaming can rise again with some innovations on the horizon. Virtual reality platforms already enable multiplayer experiences within shared digital spaces. Titles like Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes and Acron position players as both allies and friendly competitors around the same room.
And remote streaming tools like Parsec remove proximity limitations by allowing online friends to play local co-op games together. This library of traditionally offline-only titles provides a huge catalog to enjoy online as if crowded on one couch. Integrating such streaming directly into console operating systems could spur a resurgence of older couch favorites.
With split-screen support being highly requested by over 64% of modern gamers, I expect developers will continue working to overcome technical hurdles blocking its implementation. And sharing joypads across generations provides an unparalleled social connection—once you‘ve cooperated through Halo on Legendary or been blue-shelled feet from the finish line in Mario Kart, those memories stick. As long as even a hardcore niche cherishes that special bond, split-screen gaming will live on.
The Current State of Split-Screen Gaming
To conclude—is split-screen gaming gone? As a trend across the majority of big-budget games, yes, traditional couch co-op has undeniably declined compared to its early 2000s peak. But passionate developers and loyal fans refuse to let the beloved playstyle completely fade away.
Modern flagship titles still carve out resources for local multiplayer, and indie creators build ingenious shared-screen experiences that captivate audiences. And with virtual reality bringing people together in digital rooms and remote streaming removing proximity barriers, technology could soon provide the means for a split-screen gaming renaissance.
As a lifelong gamer and advocate for the special social connection enabled by passing controllers and trash talk across the couch, I sincerely hope split-screen’s niche endures and grows. The living room remains the ideal venue for cooperation and competition—we just need visionary creators to push hardware advancements toward recapturing the magic of gaming generations past.
What fond split-screen memories do you have? And what games do you still regularly enjoy elbow-to-elbow with friends in 2024? I’d love to hear your stories and recommendations to keep the couch alive!
