Why can‘t I play 2 player on Minecraft PS4?

As a passionate Minecraft fan, not being able to play multiplayer splitscreen with your friends on PS4 is supremely annoying. I totally get that frustration, but don‘t smash your Dualshock controller just yet!

The inability to access two player functionality is likely due to incorrect settings, connectivity issues, or unsupported display output. Getting local co-op going should absolutely be possible, so let‘s dig into the potential roadblocks:

The Massive Multiplayer Appeal

Over 140 million people play Minecraft every month in 2022. It‘s the best selling video game of all time! This popularity is largely thanks to multiplayer – only 31% of players opt for solo singleplayer worlds. The social, collaborative gameplay creates an appeal no other sandbox game can match…when it actually works.

Why PS4 Makes Splitscreen Tricky

Unlike Xbox and Nintendo consoles, PlayStation actually places restrictions on utilizing two controllers through the same system. And getting multiple game views on one display takes substantial computing resources. Here‘s how the platforms compare:

As shown above, the PS4 version of Minecraft disables splitscreen functionality if your console video settings are lower than 720p. And getting multiple controllers paired can already be tricky compared to other systems.

So what can PS4 owners do to access multiplayer Minecraft? Let‘s dig into the specific issues and solutions…

Fixing "Failed To Connect" Errors

If you‘re getting a "Failed to connect to server" message when trying to play online multiplayer, don‘t panic. Here are a few things to try:

• Check your internet connection – are other devices working ok?
• Restart your PS4 and router to refresh all systems
• Try a wired connection instead of wireless if possible
• Temporarily disable any firewall or VPN services
• Ensure all game updates & patches are fully installed

Getting kicked from a world invite likely means there‘s some kind of network incompatibility between you and the host‘s server. Following the tips above often resolves connectivity problems.

What To Do About "Outdated Server" Warnings

Seeing a warning pop up saying the "Outdated server" also prevents accessing multiplayer. This means there‘s a version mismatch between game clients. As fixes, double check that:

• Your Minecraft app is updated to the latest patch
• Any installed add-ons or mods match the required versions
• The host‘s server app is also fully updated
• All players have the same official release of the game

Ensuring uniform version parity between players‘ apps and multiplayer servers is key. Mismatched updates lead to conflicts joining shared worlds.

Getting Both Controllers Working

Once network issues are eliminated, focus on getting two controllers connected for local splitscreen. PlayStation officially supports two controllers – additional ones require specialized peripherals.

If your second gamepad won‘t pair or respond, try:

• Fully resetting both controllers (small back button)
• Connecting via USB cable instead of Bluetooth
• Ensuring no other devices are simultaneously paired
• Updating Dualshock firmware to latest release

With brand new Dualshock controllers firmware glitches are rare, but can prevent recognizing more than one input source.

Enabling Splitscreen Video Output

As mentioned before, using Minecraft‘s splitscreen demands your PS4 video configuration be set to 720p or higher. Anything lower will disable the multiplayer UI.

Navigate to Settings > System > Display and confirm your output resolution meets that requirement. If not, manually change it to 720p or 1080p enable two player mode. This action takes immediate effect so re-launching Minecraft should now show the splitscreen option.

When All Else Fails, Time For Alternatives

Despite troubleshooting you may ultimately still struggle to access flawless local co-op play on PS4. In that event, consider switching platforms for the vastly improved multiplayer experience.

Some great alternatives in 2022 with seamless splitscreen support include:

• It Takes Two
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons

While not quite matching the open world freedom of Minecraft, these lighter party titles deliver incredibly fun same-screen gameplay for groups. Well worth trying out!

Console Limitations, But Still Possible

At the end of the day, the PS4 platform does create limitations compared to other consoles when it comes to Minecraft multiplayer. Restrictions around display output and controller connectivity contribute to complications that can be super frustrating.

But hopefully this guide has given you some fresh techniques to resolve or narrow down where problems may be happening. Getting two joypads working flawlessly may take a little extra effort yet remains entirely achievable via the steps outlined above. Keep trying different troubleshooting combinations and I‘m confident you‘ll be mining together in no time! Let me know how it goes.