Best Split-Screen Games on PS5: 5 Picks by Player Count and Mode

Finding PS5 games with real split-screen is harder than finding broad couch co-op lists. Every recommended game below lets two people play on one PS5 while the display is visibly divided. A separate warning covers a popular local co-op game that does not meet that definition.

The five picks are compared by local player count, co-op or competitive structure, internet requirements, and how much of the game supports split-screen. This matters: some games offer an entire campaign on the couch, while others restrict local play to particular modes.

Quick comparison

Choose Split Fiction for a complete two-player campaign. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the flexible arcade racer for two to four local players, while Gran Turismo 7 supports as many as four people who prefer competitive circuit racing. Fortnite suits a pair who wants to enter supported online experiences from one console. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the specialized option because split-screen is confined to Versus Mode.

1. Split Fiction — a full two-player co-op campaign

Split Fiction is an exclusively two-player adventure with a Play Local option on PS5. Local co-op requires two DualSense controllers, and the game divides the screen as Mio and Zoe move through its science-fiction and fantasy worlds. This isn't a side activity: cooperation is the structure of the campaign.

Mio and Zoe standing together in Split Fiction
Split Fiction builds its entire campaign around Mio and Zoe working as a pair.

Pick it for a regular partner who wants puzzles, platforming, and action built around coordination. Skip it for parties larger than two or for drop-in competitive rounds. It offers the most complete campaign fit in this group, not a claim that every pair will prefer its style.

2. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds — two to four players

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds supports one to four local players on PS5. Local split-screen is available in Grand Prix and Race Park, giving a group an arcade racer with items, gadgets, vehicle customization, and short events that are easy to replay.

Sonic characters racing through a casino-themed course
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds favors bright arcade racing, items, and quick rematches.

Choose it when player-count flexibility matters. Two people can race, and a third or fourth can join without switching games. Compared with Gran Turismo 7, the useful distinction is format: CrossWorlds emphasizes colorful courses, items, and party-style competition rather than realistic circuit driving.

3. Gran Turismo 7 — up to four-player circuit racing

Gran Turismo 7 includes PS5-only split-screen races for up to four players, with one controller required per person. It is a focused competitive mode inside a much larger driving game, so don't buy it expecting a shared campaign.

A Porsche race car in a Gran Turismo 7 garage
Gran Turismo 7 is the more grounded circuit-racing choice and supports up to four-player split-screen on PS5.

This is the fit for a group that wants licensed cars and a more grounded racing style. One practical caveat matters for two-player sessions: PlayStation VR2 does not work with the two-player split-screen mode.

4. Fortnite — two players, online connection required

Fortnite supports two-player local multiplayer on PlayStation and Xbox consoles, including compatible experiences such as Battle Royale, Zero Build, and LEGO Fortnite. The screen divides after a second controller and console account join the lobby. Both players need linked Epic accounts, and guest accounts are not supported.

Three Fortnite characters overlooking the Battle Royale island
Fortnite's local players enter supported online experiences together from one console.

Pick Fortnite when two people on one PS5 want to join a larger online game. It needs a stable internet connection, and support varies by experience: Creative, Save the World, Ranked, Solo, and limited-time modes do not support local multiplayer. Check the Local Players tag in Game Details before choosing a mode.

5. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night — a limited competitive extra mode

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a PS4 game playable on PS5 through backward compatibility. Its local Versus Mode divides the display horizontally as two players fight separate waves and send disruptive effects at each other. Update 1.5 added the mode alongside local and online multiplayer support.

Bloodstained Ritual of the Night character art
Bloodstained's divided-screen recommendation is limited to Versus Mode, not its story campaign.

Choose it only if a repeatable survival contest sounds appealing. The main story remains single-player, and Chaos Mode uses a shared view rather than the divided-screen presentation covered here. This is the narrowest recommendation on the list, but the restriction is exactly why it can fit a pair looking for competitive side-scrolling action.

A common mix-up: Vampire Survivors is local co-op, not split-screen

Vampire Survivors supports up to four people locally on PS5, but everyone shares one view. PlayStation's local-multiplayer guide calls it local split-screen, while the developer's own co-op documentation describes players sharing the same screen area. It can still be an excellent couch option; it simply isn't a divided-screen answer to this query.

Vampire Survivors red vampire portrait
Vampire Survivors supports four-player couch co-op, but its players share one view instead of splitting the display.

That distinction also applies elsewhere: “local multiplayer,” “couch co-op,” and a store listing of multiple offline players do not automatically mean split-screen. Before buying, verify the exact local mode, player count, online requirement, and whether the campaign or only an extra mode supports it.

Which PS5 split-screen game should you choose?

Start with the session you actually want. For a two-player campaign, choose Split Fiction. For racing, choose Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds for arcade-style items or Gran Turismo 7 for more grounded circuit competition; both support up to four local players. Fortnite works for a pair comfortable with accounts, an internet connection, and mode restrictions. Bloodstained makes sense only for its dedicated Versus Mode.

Sources

PlayStation game pages and local multiplayer guide: https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/split-fiction/ and https://www.playstation.com/en-us/editorial/local-multiplayer-couch-co-op-games-for-ps5/

Epic Games split-screen support: https://www.epicgames.com/help/c-202300000001636/c-202300000001719/why-can-t-i-play-fortnite-in-split-screen-on-my-playstation-a202300000011120

505 Games Bloodstained update notes: https://support.505games.com/support/solutions/articles/150000180043-bloodstained-all-platforms-update-1-5-2024-may-9-

Poncle local co-op and PlayStation FAQs: https://poncle.games/coop-faq and https://poncle.games/playstation-faq

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