For PS5 games that explicitly offer split-screen, start with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Split Fiction, Vampire Survivors, MotoGP 25 or Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Each is identified by PlayStation as having a local split-screen mode. Other strong couch-multiplayer games, including Overcooked! All You Can Eat and Diablo IV, use local multiplayer but should not be mistaken for confirmed split-screen: one shares the screen, and the cited guide does not establish the other’s display format.
Best PS5 games with confirmed local split-screen
“Couch co-op” and “local multiplayer” describe playing together on one console; they do not necessarily mean the screen is divided. The picks below are games PlayStation’s local multiplayer guide explicitly describes as split-screen. Player counts and mode descriptions here are the features PlayStation lists, not an independent ranking or hands-on assessment. The guide is a curated selection, not a complete PS5 catalog, and its descriptions do not establish a shared scoring method for “best.”
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced - PlayStation 5 | $54.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
MLB® The Show™ 26 – PS5™ | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
007 First Light - Specialist Edition - PlayStation 5 | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
NBA 2K26 - PlayStation 5 | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Game | Local players | Play style | Why consider it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | 2–4 | Split-screen racing; competitive and co-op modes | Racing for a group, with both versus and team-oriented play. |
| Split Fiction | 2 | Split-screen co-op | A story-focused cooperative adventure built for two players. |
| Vampire Survivors | 2–4 | Split-screen co-op | Local cooperative action; the guide notes shared adjustments to weapon slots and level-ups. |
| MotoGP 25 | 2 | Split-screen competition | A two-player local racing option. |
| Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night | 2 | Split-screen Versus; also Chaos Mode co-op | Offers both a competitive mode and a cooperative mode, though the guide specifically identifies split-screen for Versus. |
Descriptions and player counts in this table come from PlayStation’s PS5 local multiplayer guide. Its wording for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds says local races support “up to four-player split-screen action.”
Choose by the kind of game night you want
For racing together or against each other
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the group pick if you want room for as many as four local players and a choice of competitive or co-op modes. MotoGP 25 is the two-player alternative for head-to-head racing.
#1 Best Overall
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For a two-player story adventure
Split Fiction is explicitly a two-player local co-op game with split-screen. Its official PS5 page lists a March 6, 2025 release date and says couch co-op requires two DualSense controllers. The game’s Friend’s Pass is listed as free: a friend can join the full adventure when the other player owns the game, subject to the page’s installation and account requirements. For same-console play, select Play Local from the game’s menu. The page notes that PS Plus membership is required for online co-op; that is separate from local play. Check the official Split Fiction page for the current requirements.
For cooperative action or a versus mode
Vampire Survivors supports two to four players in local split-screen co-op. PlayStation’s guide notes that weapon slots are reduced and level-ups are divided among players, so the local mode has adjustments compared with solo play. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night gives two players a split-screen Versus Mode as well as Chaos Mode co-op; the guide does not say that the co-op mode itself uses split-screen.
Rank #2
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Good local multiplayer that is not confirmed split-screen
If your priority is playing together on one PS5 rather than seeing a divided display, these are relevant options. PlayStation’s guide describes them as local multiplayer or local co-op, but the reviewed descriptions do not establish split-screen presentation.
- Overcooked! All You Can Eat — 2–4 local players. A kitchen-order party game with co-op and competitive play. PlayStation describes the collection as including the first game, its sequel and DLC packs, and notes assist options such as slowing timers and skipping levels. The guide does not call its display split-screen.
- Diablo IV — 2-player local co-op. PlayStation specifically describes this as single-screen co-op, so it is a couch option but not a split-screen pick.
- LEGO Horizon Adventures — 2-player local co-op. A platform-action option listed in the guide; its reviewed description does not establish a split-screen display.
- F1 25 — 2-player local co-op. The guide confirms local co-op, but does not explicitly identify the display format in the reviewed passage.
What you need to play locally
Plan on a separate controller for each player. PlayStation recommends an extra DualSense wireless controller for local multiplayer on its Play Together page, and the Split Fiction PS5 page specifically requires two DualSense controllers for couch co-op. Before buying or starting a game, check its current store listing and in-game mode menu: support can be specific to a game mode, and the available descriptions do not guarantee that every mode supports local play.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
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Rank #3
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