If you’re like me, there’s a good chance you grew up in a time when split-screen gaming was the norm and something you simply expected. Whether it was on the original Xbox with Halo: Combat Evolved or later with Gears of War on the Xbox 360, these shared couch co-op moments helped define the early days of Xbox.
As Halo fans know, split-screen has become a bit of a sore spot over the years. After being promised campaign split-screen co-op following its absence in Halo 5, Halo Infinite ultimately never delivered on that promise. It’s something many fans, myself included, have wanted for a long time.
Thankfully, it looks like we’re finally getting a double dose of good news. Both Halo: Campaign Evolved and Gears of War: E-Day will feature two-player split-screen co-op, meaning that yes, couch co-op is back, and I for one couldn’t be happier about it.
Starting with Halo: Campaign Evolved, Halo Studios released a new video detailing the game’s co-op features. The game will support four-player cross-platform co-op, as well as two-player split-screen co-op on console.
Interestingly, the split-screen reveal came via a YouTube Short of all things. In it, we get some playful commentary from the new voice actor for Sgt. Avery Johnson, so I definitely recommend checking out the full short if you want all the details.
As for Gears of War: E-Day, the reveal actually came during the Xbox Games Showcase, or more specifically, the E-Day Direct that followed. During the presentation, it was revealed:
“In Campaign, all four characters are playable from the start, and we support four-player online co-op and two-player split screen on console.”
Personally, I’m just excited to see the return of split-screen gaming again. I have so many fond memories of playing through the earlier Halo games with a friend, and even the thought of someone else getting to create those same memories with their friends or family puts a smile on my face.
Whether it puts a smile on yours or not is another matter entirely, and both answers are perfectly fine. Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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