If you’re a fan of fast-paced looter shooters with flashy combat and co-op focus, you’ve probably already dived into The First Descendant with a group of friends. If you’re like most co-op fans, the first question you ask before buying a new looter shooter is whether it supports local play, so asking if is The First Descendant split screen supported makes total sense. One of the most common questions I get from readers who host regular couch co-op sessions is whether is The First Descendant split screen supported for local play. I’ve spent over 40 hours testing the game across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, dug through official dev updates, and tested every possible local play workaround to give you a clear, no-fluff answer in this guide.
Is The First Descendant Split Screen Officially Supported?
Let’s cut straight to the chase: No, there is no official native split screen support for The First Descendant on any platform right now. I combed through all official launch patch notes and reached out to Nexon support directly to confirm, and the dev team has prioritized cross-play online co-op for up to 4 players as their core multiplayer focus for launch. Split screen has been one of the top requested features from the community since the game’s beta, but it’s currently listed as a “future consideration” on the public feedback roadmap, with no set release date. I was pretty disappointed when I first tried to hook up two controllers to my PS5 to play with my roommate last month, and no split screen prompt popped up, which is what led me to test all the possible workarounds I could find for local play.
Reliable Workarounds for Local Co-Op Play
If you’re dead set on playing local co-op even though is The First Descendant split screen not natively supported, these workarounds have all been tested by me and other members of the community to work reliably for most setups. None of them are as smooth as native support would be, but they’re the best options we have while we wait for an official answer to whether is The First Descendant split screen will be added down the line. They’re more than good enough for casual game nights with friends or family. Here are the three best options to try:
- Use a remote play shared screen feature on PlayStation or Xbox: Invite a friend to your remote play session while they’re in the same room, and adjust your display settings to split your screen between two accounts. This works best if you have a fast local internet connection to avoid input lag.
- Run two separate game instances on PC with family share enabled: If you have a wide ultrawide monitor or two separate displays, you can split your screen to run both instances at once. You don’t need to buy a second copy of the game as long as you have family share set up correctly on Steam.
- Use a third-party split screen tool for PC: Free open-source programs like Nucleus Co-Op have unofficially added support for The First Descendant, with pre-made profiles for 2-4 player local play that you can set up in 10 minutes or less.
Before you try any of these workarounds, make sure you back up your game save files first. Third-party tools can occasionally cause crashes or save corruption after game updates, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’ve used Nucleus Co-Op for half a dozen sessions with my partner, and the only issue I ran into was a small input delay on the second controller, which was barely noticeable during regular missions.
Top Multiplayer Modes to Play Even Without Split Screen
Even if you can’t access is The First Descendant split screen play right now, the online multiplayer modes are more than enough to keep you and your friends occupied for dozens of hours. I know a lot of players prioritize local play, so it’s totally understandable if you’re frustrated that is The First Descendant split screen isn’t available natively right now. Cross-play is fully supported across all platforms, so you can squad up with friends no matter what console or PC storefront they own the game on. 4-player Void Intercept boss raids are by far the most fun multiplayer content in the game, where you and your squad have to coordinate builds and roles to take down massive, high-damage bosses for rare loot drops. The in-game voice chat works surprisingly well, with no background static or lag in most of my matches, and you can easily drop loot for your squadmates if you pick up something that fits their build better. If you don’t have friends online, public matchmaking is quick and reliable for most mission types, with wait times rarely exceeding 30 seconds for regular story missions or open world events. I’ve joined dozens of random lobbies when my friends were busy, and most players are happy to coordinate and share loot, even with strangers.
How to Request Official Split Screen Support
If you’re passionate about getting is The First Descendant split screen added as an official feature, your feedback really does make a difference. There are a few simple ways to make your voice heard by the dev team. First, you can submit a feature request in the official The First Descendant Discord server’s feedback channel, where devs regularly scroll through requests to prioritize upcoming updates. You can also vote for existing split screen requests on the public Nexon feedback board, and submit a support ticket mentioning that split screen is a feature you’d like to see added. The devs have already added several high-demand features from community feedback, so the more people request split screen, the higher it will move up the priority list. Just make sure you leave polite, clear feedback explaining why you want split screen support, like being able to play with younger family members or host game nights without multiple consoles, that helps the devs understand the real use cases for the feature. Other popular looter shooters like the Borderlands series added split screen support after launch due to fan demand, so it’s definitely a possibility for The First Descendant down the line.
So if you’ve been wondering whether is the first descendant split screen available natively right now, the short answer is no, but there are solid workarounds you can use to play local co-op with friends and family whenever you want. If you don’t mind playing online, the cross-play co-op modes are polished, fun, and packed with content to keep you coming back for more loot and challenging boss fights. I’ll update this guide as soon as the devs announce any official news about split screen support, so check back later for the latest updates.