While the Xbox Series X|S may have only released back in November 2020, there are still plenty of great co-op games to play with friends, family, and partners in 2021. Largely thanks to backwards compatibility, the Series X|S has a wide variety of co-op games ranging from looter shooters to open-world creative sandboxes and everything in between.
Down below, you’ll find our picks for the best Xbox Series X|S co-op games so far in 2021. This list focuses primarily on games that have received Series X|S optimizations, though there are a few on here that haven’t but had to make the list because they’re so darn good regardless.
Editor’s Note: We’ll be continuing to update this list with any new co-op titles that we feel make the cut, so be sure to keep checking back for the latest and greatest games to play with friends on Xbox Series X|S.
It Takes Two
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
While It Takes Two also released on the Xbox One, it looks and plays a heck of a lot better on the Xbox Series X|S. The game sees two parents shrunk down into little doll forms where they must work together to tackle various obstacles and boss fights that represent the trials and tribulations of their faltering relationship.
What makes It Takes Two so darn good is the way in which the game is constantly drip-feeding you new mechanics to vary up the gameplay, and the way in which these mechanics force you and your co-op partner to work together.
Playing on Series X, you’ll notice much crisper visuals thanks to an increased resolution and improved lighting and shadow effects all-round. It’ll also load that little bit faster thanks to the Series X’s SSD, which we’re not going to complain about.
If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted co-op game for you and a friend (or that special someone) then look no further. The gameplay is accessible, enjoyable, and a stellar example of how co-op games should be done.
Fortnite
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
You knew it would be on here somewhere, and there’s good reason for it, too. Fortnite is one of the biggest games right now, namely thanks to its ever-popular Battle Royale mode. You can group up with up to three friends and take on other teams in a quest to be the last team standing.
The game is constantly evolving, too, with each season bringing a new set of weapons, changes to the map, new features such as NPCs and crafting, and a whole lot more. On top of that, there’s Party Royale which acts as a chillout space where you can just hang with your friends, watch some movies on the big screen, and more.
If Battle Royale’s not your cup of tea, you can always opt to pay for the Save the World PvE mode. This tasks you with building your own Fort and holding off hordes of monsters. There’s a massive, destructible world, and much like Battle Royale, there’s new content being added on a regular basis.
Whatever your preference, Fortnite has something for you, and it’s difficult to put the controller down once you dive into the heart-racing action.
Minecraft
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
Minecraft is the blocky sandbox world that keeps on giving, and the game runs better than ever on Xbox Series X|S. Players can set up their own ‘Realm’ on Minecraft, allowing their friends to all jump into and share one world as they explore, mine, build and get seriously creative in the process.
If reaching the Ender Dragon or working together to create a sprawling metropolis of cubes doesn’t appeal to you, Minecraft’s open-ended nature makes it a great blank canvas to create your own fun. Set up a game of Manhunt with a group of your friends and watch the chaos unfold across the map, or see who can get a very specific (and rare) item before everyone else.
Plus, with the Cliffs and Caves update still set to release later this year, there’s even more exciting new content and changes coming to the blocky world on the horizon.
Outriders
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
If you’re looking for a futuristic looter shooter that isn’t an endless grind in the same vein as Destiny 2, then Outriders is definitely worth checking out.
The game isn’t a live service game, so you’ll grind your way through its story either solo or with friends, and can grind out those missions, again and again, to get the best possible gear in the game. The gameplay is fast and frenetic, thanks to its deal damage to heal mechanic that forces you to always be on the offensive.
Add into that some nice, varied classes and drop-in-drop-out co-op and you’ve got a great little sci-fi shooter that’ll keep you and your friends occupied for upwards of 50 hours if you really fall down the Outriders rabbit hole.
It’s also on Xbox Game Pass, so you won’t have to put your money on the line if you’re unsure whether it’s your cup of tea.
FIFA 21 (Ultimate Team & Pro Clubs)
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
This one will largely depend on how much you enjoy soccer, but for fans of the sport, there’s a ton of different game modes to enjoy with a friend in FIFA 21.
For starters, the headline mode Ultimate Team has finally received a co-op mode, allowing you and a friend to play with one of your teams to take on others in Rivals matches. If you’d rather play with real-world teams, there’s a co-op seasons mode that allows you and a friend to take on other teams of two in the most iconic stadiums around the world.
But for us, it’s the Pro Clubs mode that offers the very best co-op gameplay in just about any sports game right now. In the mode, you and up to 10 friends each take control of one player in your team of 11. One may play a striker, while another plays a center-back. You’ll then be matched up against other teams, where you’ll need to work together, be disciplined in your position, and beat your opponents to climb from Division 10 right up to the lofty heights of Division 1.
You’ll level up your player, increasing their attributes and earning skill points to bolster them further. You can customize your team tactics, create AI players to fill the gaps, and choose your own kit. Seriously, give it a try and you’ll never look back. Plus, the banter will be in full flow when somebody misses a sitter!
Destiny 2
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
If you’re looking for a co-op looter shooter that’ll take advantage of your Xbox Series X|S, then look no further than Destiny 2. The game has been optimized for the current-gen systems, meaning you’ll be landing on planets and loading back into the Tower in about half the time you did on the Xbox One.
What’s more, there’s a ton of new content still coming to Destiny 2 with each season. Not to mention the general grind gameplay loop is incredibly compelling, and one that’s suited to kicking back with some friends and chatting away while you blast some Fallen in the face.
Then there’s the whole PvP side of Destiny 2 that you can dive into with friends if that’s more your cup of tea. Oh, and did we mention the Raids? These are the toughest and best PvE content you can play in the game right now, requiring a high level of teamwork and some puzzle-solving skills in order to reach the end and get your hands on all that rare, high-end gear.
Even better, you can download Destiny 2 Beyond Light on Xbox Game Pass so your friends have no excuse not to give it a try with you! Once you all do, though, be warned as you’ll be hooked.
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
The Call of Duty series’ multiplayer doesn’t really need any introduction at this point, and that remains true in Black Ops Cold War. You’ll be able to team up with your friends and take on other players in a variety of modes including Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, and many more.
However, what makes Black Ops Cold War one of the best Xbox Series X|S co-op games right now is its zombies mode. Here, players can either grind out endless rounds against increasingly tough hordes of the undead across numerous maps or take them out across multiple maps in the open-world zombies experience, Outbreak.
Whichever zombies mode you choose to play, you can be guaranteed a good few hours of fun with friends, especially once you really dig into all of the Easter Eggs. Now get prepping that loadout ready to drop!
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is arguably the biggest co-op game on this list, simply because of the sheer number of games you’re getting access to in one convenient package. Almost the entire mainline Halo series (and ODST and Reach, just missing Halo 5) are all in there now and have been given the Xbox Series X|S optimization treatment to make sure Master Chief, Arbiter, and their environments look better than they ever have (and load considerably, too).
If the campaigns aren’t your jam, then you’ve got all the multiplayer modes from each game to dive into with friends, too. Given Halo was one of the games that helped make Xbox Live what it is today, it’s safe to say they’re pretty darn fun.
Knockout City
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
Does the idea of epic dodgeball battles with your friends by your side send you hurtling down an epic nostalgia trip back to school? Memories of being the last-man-standing… or getting a ball straight to the face? Then Knockout City is a game you absolutely need to check out.
Available for free as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Knockout City is once again cross-play and allows you to team up with friends to duke it out with rival teams to rule the city once and for all.
There’s an emphasis on team-based play here, too, with players able to pass the ball to one another in order to catch their opponent off-guard. You’ll be able to dodge, duck, dip, dive, and indeed, dodge and will have a variety of skill moves and shots at your disposal to up the ante.
Even better, Knockout City is enhanced for the Xbox Series X|S offering up crisper visuals and super-speedy load times.
Rocket League
Best Xbox Series X|S Co-Op Games 2021
Rocket-powered cars + soccer = a heck of a lot of fun, and that’s basically what Rocket League is.
Two teams will fight it out in 5-minute matches in this chaotic vehicle soccer game. While the premise is fairly simple, it’s one of those games that’s easy to pick up and have fun with, but very difficult to master. The best players will be able to read the flight of the ball, fly through the air with their boost, and knock one into the top corner, all while their opponent looks up at them in awe from the floor.
What’s more, the game is cross-play, meaning you can play with friends on just about any platform. It’s also free-to-play, making it the perfect game to give a try.
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