Playing with a friend can be one of the greatest joys of gaming. Even better when you’re both able to get away from one another and just play on separate screens. Here are the absolute best splitscreen games you can play on Xbox One.
Top 15 Best Splitscreen Xbox One Games
Gears of War 4
One of Microsoft’s two flagship flagship exclusive franchises, Gears of War has always had a huge co-op component. You can play splitscreen multiplayer in every part of Gears of War 4, from the campaign to the online multiplayer. Simply grab a friend or family member, sit on your couch, and enter the brutal action in whichever mode you prefer.
Rocket League
Rocket League has become more of a hit than most ever imagined. After making its way to Xbox One eventually, the crossplay functionality has ensured that it’s just as popular as on other platforms. You can either play a casual game against a friend or bots in splitscreen, or jump online for some more intense action. Just be warned, there’s some players who are insanely good at the game.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
At the height of its popularity, splitscreen has a huge factor in the Halo series’ popularity. It was oddly removed for the release of Guardians, but Xbox One players don’t need to worry, you can play Halo in splitscreen with the Master Chief Collection. Featuring remastered versions of the original games, you can take on friends on the maps you know and love.
Call of Duty: WWII
World War II, the most recent Call of Duty game took the series back to its “boots on the ground” roots, and it payed dividends. Not only is it one of the best selling games in the series, but it is one of the most fun in recent years. The multiplayer remained largely the same but the new zombies mode is great fun, especially when alongside a friend in splitscreen.
Forza Motorsport 7
Racing games have largely dropped splitscreen in recent years, but the Forza series has decided to keep those that enjoy it happy. The track and cars look stunning, the progression system is compelling, and the driving itself feels phenomenal. Even it wasn’t one of the only games to feature splitscreen, it would probably still be the number one choice.
Minecraft
You can play Minecraft on almost any platform now and it’s hugely popular in all those places. Whether you want to build the structures of your dreams, or do all you can to scavenge for items and survive, it’s even more fun alongside a buddy. Thankfully, you can do so seamlessly in Minecraft.
A Way Out
A Way Out is one of few games that have been developed to be played solely in splitscreen co-op. It’s a cinematic adventure where you and another play take control of two men who are trying to escape from prison. Throughout the game, you help each other to complete objectives and the presentation is excellent. Each player’s screen changes size as what’s happening switches between cutscenes and gameplay, with what each person’s is doing often being dramatically different.
Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2
The Garden Warfare games are certainly different to the base Plants vs. Zombies games. They are tactical third-person shooters that pit that plants and zombies against each other as they attempt to capture gardens or tombstones. You can play in splitscreen against waves of enemies or join a friend online to take part in the full multiplayer offerings.
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
The Borderlands games are excellent first-person shooter focused RPGs full of whacky characters. There’s loads of enemies to kill, weapons to find, and locations to travel to. It’s fun on your own, but the gameplay loop is even more fun when you have a friend by your side in splitscreen.
LEGO Games
We’ve seen LEGO games based on the worlds of Jurassic World, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Batman, Marvel Heroes, and more, and each of them are best in co-op. It splits between splitscreen and single screen as players move around the world and interact with contraptions, but bashing, building, and collecting is great fun when you’ve got someone else to help you.
Star Wars Battlefront 2
It was shrouded in lootbox and microtransaction controversy when it first launched, but that never stopped it being the perfect game for Star Wars fans. The visuals, music, and maps all capture the essence of the classic franchise.
Terraria
Similar to Minecraft is some ways, Terraria sees you search for resources in an attempt to build anything you can think of, while fending off the monsters that lurk around any corner. As you’d expect, both the building and monster slaying are more fun with a friend.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
More futuristic than the series had been before, or even since, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare saw the action head to space. Of course, there’s the usual splitscreen offerings: the classic multiplayer modes and wave based action if you’re looking for something that requires a bit more cooperation. It may not be the best game in the series, but there plenty of fun to be had by first-person shooter fans.
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
The classic Gears of War experience, remastered perfectly for Xbox One. There was no horde mode in the original game, so the splitscreen options were limited to online multiplayer and the campaign, but if you’re looking to return to the series’ roots after the fourth numbered installment, this Ultimate Edition would be the perfect choice.
Don’t Starve Together
Single player Don’t Starve is all about finding items around the world during the day so that you can survive the night and fend off all the vicious creatures that roam the world. In splitscreen multiplayer, that’s the same, only you have a friend to help find items and an extra mouth to feed.
That does it for our list of the best splitscreen Xbox One games you can play with some friends right this moment! Let us know which ones are your favorite in the comments down below. Check out our list of the best splitscreen PS4 games over here!
Gears of War 4
Rocket League
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Call of Duty: World War II
Forza Motorsport 7
Minecraft
A Way Out
Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
Borderlands: Handsome Collection
LEGO Games
Terraria
Star Wars Battlefront II
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition
Don't Starve Together
About the author
Tom Hopkins
A Film and English graduate from London who plays far too much FIFA. Playing Games since 1999. Favorite Genres: Third-Person Action, Racing, and Narrative-Driven.