Steam and local co-op games are not synonymous, as the latter is primarily associated with consoles. PC gaming is nowadays all about online multiplayer, which has largely replaced LAN play that was so popular back in the day (and I sincerely miss). Steam has hundreds upon hundreds of online games that emphasize teamwork and coordination, but you might not realize that Valve's platform really does not neglect couch co-op. In most cases, if a title supports the feature on consoles, the PC version will also have it.
So, pull up a second chair or run an HDMI cable from your desktop to your TV and get ready to experience some of the best local co-op games ever, all found through your Steam library. We are talking RPGs, beat 'em ups, shooters, platformers, puzzlers, horror, and nearly every other genre imaginable.
Updated January 1, 2026 by Mark Sammut: Happy New Year! To celebrate the start of 2026, we have added sections recommending games depending on circumstances, player count, and genre.
Quick Picks: Best Steam Local Co-Op Games For Different Circumstances
Before we dive into the individual games, let's go through a few recommendations for different group sizes or preferences. If you are only looking for quick advice on something to play, the following table should help. To keep things interesting, we will include three games per category, and the last one will not be in the full list below.
|
Category |
Game 1 |
Game 2 |
Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Best for Couples |
It Takes Two |
Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime |
Haven |
|
Best for Friends |
Split Fiction |
Marvel Cosmic Invasion |
Viking Squad |
|
Best with Kids |
Lego Games |
Castle Crashers |
Human Fall Flat |
|
Best Chaotic Party Game |
Overcooked! 2 |
Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes |
Ultimate Chicken Horse |
|
Best Story-Driven Co-Op |
Baldur's Gate 3 |
A Way Out |
Sea of Stars |
1 Marvel Cosmic Invasion
A Marvelous Co-Op Beat 'Em Up Lands On Steam
MARVEL Cosmic Invasion
- Released
- December 1, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Tribute Games Inc.
- Number of Players
- 1-4 players
- Genre(s)
- Beat 'Em Up, Superhero, Action
- 1-4 Local Co-Op
Is it remotely surprising that the team behind TMNT: Shredder's Revenge would end up producing one of 2025's best co-op romps? Marvel Cosmic Invasion builds on Tribute Games' previous outing by offering another gorgeous, challenging, and accessible adventure that can easily be enjoyed solo or with friends. The former works brilliantly and comes with tons of replayvalue due to the 15 playable characters, all of whom are unique; however, like with nearly every beat 'em up ever, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is just a bit better with friends.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion Review: A Superhero Beat-em-up at Its Finest
Marvel Cosmic Invasion soars with stunning visuals, slick beat-em-up gameplay, and an inventive lineup of diverse comic book characters.
The story is not important, and the only thing you need to know is that the combat is smooth and bombastic, fittingly so for a game that features some of the most iconic and strongest heroes in fiction. While single-player has its own quirks, co-op really makes you take into account the characters' synergy, as you try to build a team consisting of complementary fighters rather than just solo artists.
2 Split Fiction
A World-Hopping 2025 Co-op Adventure
Split Fiction
- Released
- March 6, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hazelight Studios
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
- 2-Player Local Co-Op
- Splitscreen
Hazelight is back with another fantastic co-op experience. Similar to It Takes Two and A Way Out, Split Fiction only supports 2-player runs, so solo playthroughs are not an option. While that can be frustrating for people who prefer to game on their own, Hazelight's dedication to co-op deserves praise, especially in an era when non-online-focused multiplayer projects are so rare. Due to this creative decision, Split Fiction is built to emphasize and bolster cooperative action, including a story revolving around two characters who are forced to work together after they are screwed over by a corporation. Zoe and Mio are both writers, with the former specializing in fantasy and the latter in sci-fi. Long story short, their ideas are not only stolen but also turned into worlds that Zoe and Mio have to play through to survive.
Like It Takes Two, Split Fiction constantly shakes up its locations and gameplay. Each level essentially takes place in a different world that falls under the general banner of fantasy or sci-fi, and the environments go through an impressive range of settings. The gameplay also evolves to match the situations, resulting in pretty constant surprises. Split Fiction could be described as a platformer, but that just reflects the core gameplay and not the game's incredible scope. The story is pretty great too, with two fun protagonists and strong writing throughout. If two friends loved It Takes Two, they will probably adore Split Fiction.
3 Baldur's Gate 3
An Ambitious & Lengthy RPG For Tabletop Fans
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- 2 Player Local Co-Op
- Splitscreen
After achieving near-perfection with Divinity: Original Sin 2, which is also a great co-op PC RPG, Larian Studios did the impossible and produced something arguably even better. After spending almost three years in early access, Baldur's Gate 3 finally made its proper debut in August 2023, and to say the game was well-received would be an understatement. Hailed as a new benchmark in the CRPG genre, the long-awaited sequel is a deep and rewarding single-player experience that can easily keep somebody entertained for months on end. A big part of the game's appeal is its flexible and reactive design that seeks to morph the world to complement a player's choices.
While a fantastic solo experience, Baldur's Gate 3's local co-op feature is also not an afterthought. Players can join someone's else campaign, or start a new one where they play together from the beginning. Thanks to the use of split-screen, adventurers are not tied to each other, and one party member can head out to explore on their own while their partner does something else. Even though they will likely stick together during most sessions, Baldur's Gate 3 makes it possible for both players to feel in control.
4 It Takes Two
A Gorgeous & Creative Journey Designed Around Two-Player Co-Op
It Takes Two
- Released
- March 26, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Hazelight Studios
- 2 Player Local Co-Op
- Splitscreen
Hazelight is responsible for three of the best 2-player Steam games, including Split Fiction. A Way Out is also fantastic and an easy recommendation for any duos seeking a mature storyline, but 2021's It Takes Two is generally regarded as the superior overall package. The story follows a married couple who are shrunk down and have to go on a wild adventure to make it back home. The premise might sound derivative, but the game absolutely nails its characters and visuals.
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As May and Cody are on the verge of getting a divorce, their shared situation forces them to openly communicate and work together after years of growing apart. It Takes Two's co-op gameplay reflects and enhances the narrative's themes.
5 Vampire Survivors
Popularized A New Genre & Still The Best In Class
Vampire Survivors
- Released
- December 17, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Luca Galante
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
- 4 Player Local Co-Op
Vampire Survivors is firmly established as one of Steam's most popular games, and that will not change anytime soon. While not initially included, local co-op was added to the project in August 2023 to coincide with the release of the Switch version, and it was a great addition that elevated an already immaculate project. Up to four players can team up to take on the waves of enemies, with each one being allowed to pick from the available characters and weapons. In execution, co-op does not alter Vampire Survivors too significantly; however, it does tweak a few things ever so slightly to take advantage of the multiplayer element. If someone enjoys the single-player iteration, they will likely have fun with local co-op.
Like nearly every update released for the game, Poncle's implementation of co-op was well-thought-out, with the developers even introducing a few options to reduce the frustration that might result from having multiple similar-looking playable characters on the field. That said, co-op is just a bonus rather than something that defines Vampire Survivors.
6 Path Of Exile 2
An Early Access Look At A Future (And Current) Great
Path of Exile II
- Released
- December 6, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Grinding Gear Games
- Early Access Release
- December 6, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash, MMORPG
- 2-Player Local Co-Op
2013's Path of Exile is almost too good. The free-to-play action RPG delivered roughly a decade's worth of brilliance, firmly establishing itself as one of the definitive dungeon crawlers. Even nowadays, it is still a pretty easy recommendation. However, for all its positives, PoE only supports online co-op, which makes sense for a game that was initially designed with computers in mind. Along with still offering 6-player online co-op, the 2024 sequel adds local multiplayer to the equation, albeit limited to just two people sharing a screen. Controllers are also required on PC.
Now, Path of Exile 2 is currently in early access and very much a work-in-progress; consequently, anybody looking to jump on board should be prepared for missing features, a few rough edges, and tweaks/updates that could drastically change the viability of certain builds. Crucially, the early access version is not free, although the full release will go down that route. As such, people who are not sure if this project is for them might wish to wait until version 1.0 drops, which will probably not happen very soon.
With that out of the way, it is now time to say that Path of Exile 2 is fantastic. Improving on nearly every idea found in its predecessor, the sequel is bigger and better, offering more satisfying combat, customization options that come with ridiculous variety, and a pretty good story (from what is currently available). The endgame is also shaping up to be pretty great. In terms of local co-op, PoE2 is quite a natural fit for the feature, and the classes and their build options encourage parties to put together characters that complement each other.
7 Pico Park 2
The Pleasure & Pain Of Teamwork
Pico Park 2
- Released
- August 27, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Tecopark, Gemdrops, Inc.
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle
- 8-player Local Co-Op
Pico Park 2 can be a frustrating experience, and that is part of its appeal. Tecopark's sequel challenges up to 8 players to take on bite-sized obstacles that can vary considerably in structure, presentation, and style. Some are fairly typical puzzles, while other stages dip into genres like action or platforming. Still, the core concept is the same: work together and communicate.
In reality, most people will probably have to make do with strangers when playing Pico Park 2, at least if they want to add as many players as possible. Still, the game supports 8-player local co-op as well, so the option is technically viable. That said, 2-player co-op is likely to be the more common selection.
8 Chained Together
A Challenging But Fun "Go Up" Puzzle-Platformer Revolving Around Teamwork
Chained Together
- Released
- June 19, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Anegar Games
- Genre(s)
- Adventure
- Up To 4-Player Local Co-Op
- Splitscreen
The rise of platforms like Twitch saw the birth of a weird puzzle-platformer subgenre seemingly designed specifically to inspire outrage in streamers. Only Up! Is probably the most well-known example of this trend, but Jump King and Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy are also (in)famous and, for a while, were inescapable. As entertaining as it can be to watch someone struggle for hours to climb an abstract tower, or blast through in a matter of minutes, these projects can be hard to recommend in situations when a crowd is not watching.
Although perfect for Twitch, Chained Together arguably comes the closest to being a worthwhile all-around gaming experience when someone is craving a challenging platformer. The project's biggest selling point is its co-op implementation, to the point that the feature is highlighted by the title. While solo runs are possible, Chained Together is designed with multiplayer in mind, allowing for up to four players to be tied together as they try to escape hell.
As with Only Up!, players have to jump, catch, and climb across floating assets, all the while being fully aware that a single mistake could cause them to lose all of their progress (unless they are playing in Beginner mode). Frustrating as those moments can be, Chained Together works due to that ever-present fear of catastrophic failure. The co-op adds a nice twist since having another player on board has both positives and negatives.
9 Broforce
Run, Gun, N' Destroy
Broforce
- Released
- October 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
- 4 Player Local Co-Op
The gaming equivalent of an '80s action movie, Broforce is loud, stupid, and relentlessly fun. An explosive parody of genre classics and iconic characters, Free Lives' game features pitch-perfect run 'n' gun combat, which is enhanced through environmental destruction and endearing pixel graphics.
While perfectly enjoyable in single-player, Broforce really comes alive when multiple meatheads are rampaging through stages en route to planting an American flag where a fearsome boss once stood.
10 Portal 2
A Great Side Mode That Adapts Portal's Puzzles For Co-Op
Portal 2
- Released
- April 18, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Valve
- Genre(s)
- Puzzle, Platformer
- 2 Player Local Co-Op
- Splitscreen
Valve is responsible for some of the most popular and long-lasting multiplayer games on the market, most of which revolve around co-op. While games like Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress 2, Alien Swarm, and Counter-Strike all prioritize teamwork, they are generally associated with online multiplayer or LAN support more so than local co-op. The same could be said for Portal 2 to an extent, although the game is better equipped to take advantage of local two-player action than most of the developer's other projects. For one, the title supports split-screen right out of the box, which makes it a more viable option than the Left 4 Dead games.
The 2011 release reached legendary status thanks to its single-player story, which arguably ranks alongside Half-Life 2 as Valve's magnum opus. Less known is Portal 2's co-op campaign that sees two robots work together to try and complete GLaDOS's various challenges. Gameplay-wise, this mode retains many of the same fundamentals as the single-player; however, these identical mechanics take on a new flavor when a second player is thrown into the mix.