Online multiplayer has come to dominate the world of video games, bringing players together from all over the globe. But there are still games that capture the old-school feelings of cooperation and competition of taking on someone sitting next to you on the couch, controller in-hand. For years, games handled multiplayer by splitting a single screen across the middle, creating a singular experience of sharing both a digital and physical space as you battled it out in classics like Goldeneye 007 or Quake III. Those games still exist on the PlayStation 5, offering some fun, intimate multiplayer experiences. This list compiles the best PS5 split-screen multiplayer games, while also delving into games that offer great local multiplayer by sharing one screen or offering cooperative play. Many of these games are PS4 games that are backward compatible with the PS5, but they've mostly received updates to enhance them on the newer, more powerful hardware.
For more local multiplayer games, make sure to take a look at our list of the best couch co-op games for couples and best games to play with people who don't normally play games. We also have a bunch of roundups highlighting the best titles for all major platforms, including the best PS5 games so far, best Xbox One games, best Xbox Series X games so far, best Nintendo Switch games, and best PC games to play in 2021.
The Best Split-Screen PS5 Games
The Best Co-Op PS5 Games