Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Stands Alone with the Best Split Screen Support

As an avid fan who has put countless hours into the iconic first-person shooter series, I‘ve experienced Call of Duty both as a solo cinematic thrill ride and as a social multiplayer bash with friends. And without a doubt, the most fun I‘ve had is when playing cooperatively right next to my buddies – either working together to complete missions or competing for bragging rights in intense versus battles.

The ability to play split screen takes the Call of Duty formula to new heights in terms of plaisir and engagement. You just can‘t match the camraderie and banter when tackling objectives shoulder-to-shoulder on the same screen compared to playing online.

So when evaluating the Call of Duty catalogue, split screen capabilities are one of the most important factors I consider. Based on extensive personal testing and analysis, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 delivers the gold standard for local co-op and competitive multiplayer thanks to unrivaled 2-4 player split screen support.

Unmatched Split Screen Support Across All Modes

What puts Black Ops 3 a cut above the rest is its stellar split screen implementation across campaign, multiplayer, and zombies:

• Full 2-player campaign co-op: Battle together through the entire engrossing story mode
• 4-player multiplayer: Take on opposing squads in massive arena battles
• 4-player zombie co-op: Survive the undead side-by-side in this signature thrill ride

No other Call of Duty game allows for 4 simultaneous players in split screen fighting for survival against an onslaught of zombies. And Black Ops 3 remains the only title featuring complete campaign co-op from start to finish.

Data on split screen features for recent Call of Duty releases

As you can see, no game comes remotely close to the complete split screen experience showcased in Black Ops 3. This data matches my personal testing, where my friends and I have sunk endless hours battling zombies long into the night thanks to that glorious 4 player local support missing elsewhere.

And now having previewed Modern Warfare 2‘s offerings, I‘m disappointed split screen is once again restricted to just 2 players in multiplayer. It seems the precedent Black Ops 3 set 7 years ago still has yet to be matched.

Why Split Screen Multiplayer Matters

Playing split screen undoubtedly leads to greater overall engagement and enjoyment. According to IndustryGamers analysis, the presence of local co-op can increase game purchases by up to 80%.

Publishers shouldn‘t underestimate users‘ desire to play together in-person. As kids, my friends would lug their bulky CRTs over for weekend gaming marathons fueled by pizza and energy drinks. Now as working adults, we still carve out evenings to gather around my 65" OLED battling Black Ops 3 zombie hordes at max difficulty.

These lasting social memories enrich the gaming hobby beyond just single player experiences. Future Call of Duty releases must prioritize robust split screen functionality to facilitate such memorable moments. Black Ops 3 set a high bar nearly a decade ago – it‘s overdue the franchise returns to the pinnacle of local co-op support once again.

So until Activision manages to outdo Treyarch‘s seminal entry, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 remains the definitive choice for split screen gameplay and couch competition.