Best Co-op Games on Steam: 14 Picks for 2 to 10 Players

The best co op games on Steam make your friend more than extra firepower: they make them half the plan. You know the feeling. A puzzle clicks because one of you held the switch while the other jumped, or a mission falls apart and the shouting turns into the story you retell for weeks. The 14 picks below are grouped by how you actually play together, so you can go straight to two-player adventures, couch co-op, four-player squads or big-group survival.

A quick definition before the list: co-op (cooperative play) puts you and other players on the same side against the game. Couch co-op, or local co-op, means sharing one PC and one screen, either together or split into sections.

The best co op games on Steam for two players

If it’s just the two of you, these three were built around a pair. Each one gives the two players different tools, so neither of you can coast. For a pair, these are the best co op games on Steam to start with.

It Takes Two

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Why it fits: Hazelight Studios designed It Takes Two only for co-op, so every scene assumes two people. You play Cody and May, a couple on the verge of splitting up who are turned into dolls by a spell, and the levels keep changing the rules. One chapter is a platformer, the next has you flying a pair of underpants or DJing a nightclub.

What you do: Each level gives the two characters new abilities that only work in combination, so one player sets something up and the other finishes it. The story is sincere and silly in equal measure.

Who it suits: Couples, siblings and best friends who want a shared story with a clear ending. A big bonus is Friend’s Pass: the owner invites a second player to join for free, so only one of you needs to buy it.

Modes on Steam: Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Remote Play Together, full controller support. Overwhelmingly Positive reviews.

Split Fiction

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Why it fits: This is Hazelight’s next co-op adventure after It Takes Two, so if you finished that one and wanted more, start here. Mio and Zoe are two writers, one of sci-fi and one of fantasy, who get trapped inside their own stories by a machine built to steal their ideas.

What you do: You jump between sci-fi and fantasy worlds, swapping abilities and situations constantly: taming dragons one minute, fighting as cyber ninjas the next, dodging hover cars thrown by a robot parking attendant after that.

Who it suits: Pairs who loved the variety of It Takes Two and want a faster, action-heavy version. Cross-platform multiplayer also helps if your partner plays on a console.

Modes on Steam: Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Remote Play Together. Overwhelmingly Positive. More in our games like It Takes Two list.

Portal 2

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Why it fits: Portal 2’s co-op isn’t bolted onto the solo game. It’s a separate two-player campaign with its own story, test chambers and two robot characters. With two people each placing portals, puzzles that look impossible get solved by talking them through.

What you do: You place portals on walls and floors to move yourselves, objects and lasers around Aperture Science test rooms. The fun is in the planning and the “wait, what if you go through mine” moments.

Who it suits: Puzzle fans and anyone who prefers brain teasers over reflexes. It also has a full single-player campaign, a level editor and Steam Workshop puzzles for after the credits.

Modes on Steam: Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Remote Play Together; Windows and Linux. Overwhelmingly Positive.

Couch co-op games for one PC and a sofa

All three games above work on one screen too, but these two are the best co op games on Steam for passing controllers around a living room, including to people who rarely play.

Overcooked! 2

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Why it fits: Overcooked! 2 makes teamwork the whole game. Up to four chefs chop, cook, plate and wash up against a timer in kitchens that move, split apart and teleport you elsewhere mid-order.

What you do: You split jobs, throw ingredients across gaps and yell orders at each other while cooking sushi, cakes, burgers and pizzas. Levels are short, so it’s easy to play “one more”.

Who it suits: Families, parties and couples who like a little friendly chaos. There are also competitive modes if you’d rather play against each other.

Modes on Steam: Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Online Co-op, local and online PvP, Remote Play Together; Windows, macOS, Linux. Very Positive. See our co-op games like Overcooked for more in this style.

Stardew Valley

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Why it fits: Not every co-op night needs to be loud. In Stardew Valley you take over your grandfather’s overgrown farm and slowly turn it into a home, and sharing that farm with others makes it even more satisfying.

What you do: Grow crops, raise animals, craft machines and help restore the town’s community center. In multiplayer, players share resources and can work on different chores at once, and there’s an option to lower profits for more of a challenge.

Who it suits: Couples and friends who want a relaxed game you can play in short sessions. It also suits bigger groups, since the owner can invite 1 to 7 other players online.

Modes on Steam: Online Co-op, LAN Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Remote Play Together; Windows, macOS, Linux. Overwhelmingly Positive. If you like the pace, try our farm sims like Stardew Valley and best cozy games on Steam.

Four-player squad shooters

If your group always lands at four, these are the best co op games on Steam to keep in the rotation. They are online co-op, so each player needs a copy and a PC.

Deep Rock Galactic

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Why it fits: Deep Rock Galactic is a 1-4 player first-person shooter about dwarven space miners, and the four classes really need each other. The Scout lights caves with flares and grapples around, the Gunner holds the line and shields the team, the Engineer builds turrets and platforms, and the Driller tunnels straight through rock.

What you do: You drop into randomly generated caves that you can dig through and reshape, mine minerals and fight off swarms of alien bugs until you reach the extraction pod.

Who it suits: Groups who want a shooter with clear roles and a friendly mood. You can also play it solo.

Modes on Steam: Single-player, Online Co-op, full controller support. Overwhelmingly Positive.

HELLDIVERS 2

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Why it fits: HELLDIVERS 2 is a third-person shooter for squads of up to four, and friendly fire is always on. That makes positioning and communication matter, and it also produces a lot of comedy.

What you do: You take on missions across a hostile galaxy, calling in stratagems (airstrikes, supply drops and heavy weapons ordered from orbit) while dealing with enemy waves. Loadouts let you play stealthy or go in loud.

Who it suits: Groups who like intense, cinematic fights and don’t mind being blown up by a teammate. Note that Steam lists it as Online Co-op only, with in-app purchases.

Modes on Steam: Online Co-op; Windows. Mostly Positive.

Left 4 Dead 2

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Why it fits: Left 4 Dead 2 is still one of the purest co-op shooters around: four survivors fight through a zombie outbreak across five campaigns in the American Deep South. Special infected punish anyone who wanders off alone.

What you do: You push from safe room to safe room with guns and melee weapons, from chainsaws to a frying pan. The AI Director changes the weather, the paths and the enemy spawns based on how your team is doing, so repeat runs feel different.

Who it suits: Anyone who wants quick, replayable sessions. Versus mode lets one team play as the infected, and Steam Workshop adds community campaigns.

Modes on Steam: Online Co-op, Online PvP, Remote Play Together; Windows and Linux. Overwhelmingly Positive.

Risk of Rain 2

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Why it fits: Risk of Rain 2 is a roguelite: each run starts fresh, stages and items are random, and dying sends you back to the beginning. In co-op, everyone’s builds snowball together until the screen is pure chaos.

What you do: You crash on an alien planet and fight through stages and bosses, picking up items whose effects stack in surprising ways. The longer a run goes, the stronger both you and the monsters get.

Who it suits: Groups who enjoy experimenting and replaying. It works solo or with up to three friends, and it supports PvP challenges too. More in the best roguelike games.

Modes on Steam: Single-player, Online Co-op, Online PvP; Windows. Very Positive.

Chaotic co-op for friend groups who like to scream

These two make the best co op games on Steam for nights that are more about laughing than winning. Voice chat is half the fun.

Lethal Company

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Why it fits: Lethal Company is co-op horror where you work as contract scavengers, collecting scrap from abandoned industrial moons to meet the Company’s profit quota. Things that stalk the dark punish anyone who goes off alone.

What you do: Some of the crew go inside while one stays on the ship, using the radar and terminal to call out traps and open locked doors. Earnings buy tools, new moons or cosmetic suits. Then you try to get everyone and the loot back before nightfall.

Who it suits: Friends who like jump scares and shouting. It’s in Early Access, meaning the developer is still building it and it may change. Fans should also read our best horror games on Steam and games like Phasmophobia.

Modes on Steam: Single-player, Online Co-op; Windows. Overwhelmingly Positive.

PEAK

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Why it fits: PEAK is a co-op climbing game. You play lost nature scouts stuck on an island, and the only way to be rescued is to climb the mountain in the middle of it. The mountain changes every day, so no route stays memorized.

What you do: You pull each other up ledges, place ropes and climbing spikes for the people behind you, eat questionable food, and manage injuries that cut your stamina. There are four biomes on the way up.

Who it suits: Groups who enjoy goofy physical comedy with real tension. It also works solo.

Modes on Steam: Single-player, Online Co-op; Windows. Very Positive.

Survival, sandbox and RPG worlds for long campaigns

If your group wants something to come back to for months, these games give you a world that grows with you.

Valheim

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Why it fits: Valheim supports 1 to 10 players, which is rare, so it’s the pick here for a big friend group. You’re Vikings dropped into a randomly generated afterlife inspired by Norse myth, and you build your way up to beating the big regional bosses called the Forsaken.

What you do: Gather resources, craft weapons, raise longhouses, sail to unknown lands and explore biomes with their own dangers. Groups usually split jobs, with some people building and others scouting.

Who it suits: Groups who like survival games and shared building projects. Steam lists its release date as Sep 9, 2026. See survival games like Valheim for more.

Modes on Steam: Single-player, Online Co-op; Windows, macOS, Linux. Very Positive.

Terraria

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Why it fits: Terraria’s slogan is “dig, fight, explore, build”, and in co-op each player can follow whichever of those they like most, in the same randomly generated 2D world. Its multiplayer also takes more than four players, so it works for bigger groups.

What you do: Mine underground for materials, craft better gear, build homes for the characters who move in, and take on tougher bosses. Free content updates have kept adding to it.

Who it suits: Friends who want a long, open-ended game without a fixed path. Steam also lists PvP if you want to fight each other. If you like it, see our sandbox games like Minecraft.

Modes on Steam: Single-player, Online Co-op, Online PvP, Steam Workshop; Windows, macOS, Linux. Overwhelmingly Positive.

Baldur’s Gate 3

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Why it fits: Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-heavy RPG set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, and you can play the whole adventure online as a party of up to four. Each player makes their own decisions, which can lead to a lot of arguing about what to do next.

What you do: You create a character from 12 classes and 11 races, or play a pre-made Origin hero, and adventure across the Forgotten Realms with a mind flayer parasite in your head. Turn-based fights reward planning together.

Who it suits: Tabletop groups and RPG fans who want a long campaign. Steam lists online, LAN and cross-platform co-op, but not split screen on PC. More in our best RPG games on Steam.

Modes on Steam: Online Co-op, LAN Co-op, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Remote Play Together; Windows, macOS. Overwhelmingly Positive.

How to choose a co-op game for your group

Even the best co op games on Steam fall flat if they don’t fit the people playing. Check these things in this order before anyone buys.

1. Count your players. Two-player games like It Takes Two and Portal 2’s co-op campaign stop at two. Most shooters stop at four. For bigger groups, Valheim (up to 10), Stardew Valley (up to 8) and Terraria all go beyond that.
2. Decide between local and online. “Shared/Split Screen Co-op” on a store page means one PC and several controllers. “Online Co-op” means everyone needs their own PC and copy.
3. Check who has to own it. Friend’s Pass lets a friend join It Takes Two for free. Remote Play Together, a Steam feature, streams a local co-op game to friends online so only the host needs to own it.
4. Match the session length. Overcooked! 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 fit an evening. Valheim, Terraria and Baldur’s Gate 3 reward a regular group that meets every week.
5. Read the review summary. Steam’s summary shows how players feel about the game overall. Most picks here are Very Positive or Overwhelmingly Positive.

A worked example

Say you play with a partner on the couch during the week and with two online friends on Saturdays. For weeknights, It Takes Two or Split Fiction on split screen fits perfectly. For Saturdays you need four-player online co-op, so Deep Rock Galactic or Risk of Rain 2 works. If one of the online friends is new to shooters, start with Deep Rock Galactic: its classes give everyone a clear job.

Mistakes people make

• Assuming every co-op game has split screen. Deep Rock Galactic, HELLDIVERS 2 and Valheim list online co-op only.
• Buying a four-player game for five friends. Check the player cap in the store text, not just the co-op label.
• Ignoring skill gaps. Games like Overcooked! 2 or Stardew Valley let a less experienced player still be useful. A fast shooter can leave them behind.
• Forgetting Early Access. Lethal Company is still in development, so expect changes.

Can you play couch co-op on Steam games?

Yes, as long as the game supports it. Plug in controllers and look for Shared/Split Screen Co-op in the store page’s feature list. Of the best co op games on Steam above, It Takes Two, Split Fiction, Portal 2, Overcooked! 2 and Stardew Valley all list it.

Remote Play Together blurs the line between local and online: the host runs the game, and friends join over the internet as if they were sitting on the same couch. That makes local co-op games a good option for long-distance pairs too.

Looking for more by genre? Browse the best games on Steam or go back to Gamescape to find your next game.

Questions and answers

Can you play couch co-op on Steam games?

Yes. Many Steam games support couch co-op, also called local co-op, where two or more players share one PC using controllers on a shared or split screen. Look for the Shared/Split Screen Co-op feature on the store page. It Takes Two, Split Fiction, Portal 2, Overcooked! 2 and Stardew Valley all list it. Games with Remote Play Together can also stream that local session to friends online.

What is the funnest 2 player game on Steam?

For two players, It Takes Two is the safest pick. It was built purely for co-op, gives each level new paired abilities, and holds an Overwhelmingly Positive Steam rating. Its Friend's Pass lets a second player join for free. If you have already finished it, Split Fiction comes from the same studio, and Portal 2 has a separate two-player puzzle campaign with its own story.

What are the best co op games on Steam for big groups?

Most co-op games stop at four players, so bigger groups have fewer options. Valheim supports 1 to 10 players in a shared Viking survival world. Stardew Valley lets you invite 1 to 7 others to one farm online. Terraria's multiplayer also takes more than four players, and it suits groups who drop in and out. For a group of exactly four, Deep Rock Galactic, Helldivers 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 are strong choices.

How can I tell which Steam games have co-op?

Check the feature list on the right side of a game's Steam store page. It shows labels such as Online Co-op, LAN Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op and Remote Play Together. Online Co-op means each player needs their own PC. Shared/Split Screen means you can play on one PC. The store text usually gives the maximum number of players, so read it before you buy for a larger group.

Does everyone need to own the game to play co-op on Steam?

Usually, yes, for online co-op. There are two exceptions. Some games offer a pass for a free second player, like It Takes Two's Friend's Pass. Games with Remote Play Together let the owner stream a local co-op session to friends over the internet, so they can join without buying it. Online-only games such as Deep Rock Galactic or Helldivers 2 need a copy for each player.