entertainment / Sunday, 24-Aug-2025

Do You Have To Play Split Fiction In Co-Op?

Split Fiction is quickly shaping up to be one of the most original and inventive games of the year. Following two unsuccessful authors who are forced to traverse the fictional worlds they created, you'll constantly be kept on your toes throughout the entire campaign, thanks to a barrage of imaginative gameplay mechanics and challenges. With Hazelight Studios behind the development of Split Fiction, it's safe to say that we're being treated to yet another incredible co-op experience of the same quality as A Way Out and the critically-acclaimed, GOTY-winning It Takes Two.

While Split Fiction does follow the likes of Hazelight's previous works as a multiplayer-focused experience, some of you might be wondering if the game can only be played in co-op. It's certainly a reasonable question to ask, as many co-op games allow for a single-player mode for those who may be unable to play with friends. Although it may restrict you from receiving the full, uncompromised experience that co-op provides, a single-player mode could still provide a glimpse of everything Split Fiction has to offer.

Split Fiction Has To Be Played In Co-Op

No Single-Player Option Is Available

Unfortunately, as detailed on the website of the game's publisher, Electronic Arts, Split Fiction is a purely co-operative experience, with no option for single-player. While this may be disappointing, the move itself doesn't come as much of a surprise. As a studio focused on developing exciting and unique co-op experiences, Hazelight has never allowed the option for single-player in any of its previous titles, and Split Fiction wasn't going to be an exception.

Related
Split Fiction Continues Hazelight’s Legacy Of Revolutionizing Co-op Games

Hazelight has become synonymous with epic co-op adventures, and recent footage from Split Fiction appears to be taking that one step further.

This is because of how the multiplayer experience is vital in effectively telling the narrative found within Hazelight's games. Whether the story follows a divorced couple, like in It Takes Two, or two prisoners on a revenge mission as seen in A Way Out, each game is always centered around two protagonists that work together towards a common goal.

The themes of teamwork and connection that are present in Hazelight's games are communicated so well because of how the narrative and co-operative gameplay are so seamlessly intertwined. Therefore, removing that multiplayer aspect would limit the titles as a result.

All The Ways To Play Split Fiction With A Friend

Hazelight Has Made Its Latest Game Easily Accessible

Thankfully, Hazelight has taken major steps to provide as many opportunities as possible for you to play Split Fiction with others. Of course, similar to its previous games, Hazelight has allowed for both local and online co-op in Split Fiction, meaning you can experience the game with friends worldwide. That's not even mentioning the other benefits that help to clear potential barriers to entry, such as cross-play between consoles and PC, or the official Hazelight Discord server that will help you find someone to play the game with if you're struggling to find a partner.

As EA is the publisher of Split Fiction, playing the game via cross-play will require you to set up an EA account.

Moreover, Hazelight has taken accessibility for Split Fiction one step further thanks to the Friend's Pass. As with previous Hazelight titles, this feature means that only one player has to purchase a copy of Split Fiction in order for two people to play the game, with the other player simply having to download the Friend's Pass app on their device in order to join. The inclusion of Friend's Pass serves as a fantastic feature to ensure Split Fiction has as big an outreach as possible, while giving you ample opportunity to experience Hazelight's latest adventure.

Related
Split Fiction Has A Chance To Fix It Takes Two’s Biggest Problem

The newest title by Hazelight Studios has the opportunity to avoid annoying dialogue and relationship issues from their past games.

While the lack of a single-player option may be disappointing, it's hard to deny the amount of effort being made by Hazelight Studios to make Split Fiction as accessible as possible. From the inclusion of cross-play, to the return of Friend's Pass, you're given multiple different options for how you want to experience Split Fiction. With this in mind, now's as good a time as any for you to check out what could be one of the best and most creative games of 2025.

Source: Electronic Arts

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Your Rating

Split Fiction
Systems
Placeholder ImageOpenCritic Reviews
Top Critic Avg:90/100Critics Rec:98%
Released
March 6, 2025
ESRB
T For Teen // Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Hazelight Studios
Publisher(s)
Electronic Arts
Engine
Unreal Engine 5

In Split Fiction, rival authors Mio and Zoe find themselves trapped within a simulation of their own stories by a nefarious tech mogul aiming to steal their work. Forced to collaborate, they navigate alternating sci-fi and fantasy realms, utilizing unique abilities to solve puzzles, overcome platforming challenges, and defeat formidable bosses. The game supports cooperative play through the Friend's Pass system, allowing cross-play across PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.

Multiplayer
Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play
Yes - all platforms
Number of Players
2
Platform(s)
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Local Co-Op Support
Yes

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