It’s not always possible to round up your friends to play couch coop games, but there are a ton of titles that let you keep the fun going from afar. If you’re hunting for the best online co-op games to play, we assume you are familiar with classics like Minecraft, Fortnite, Among Us, Left 4 Dead 2, and GTA Online, so we have hand-picked fresh alternatives. Our picks cover all kinds of genres: squad-based ninja brawlers, first-person paranormal investigations, pixelated farming simulators, and many more. No matter what you and your friends are into, there’s a PlayStation, Xbox, Windows PC, or Switch experience listed here worth checking out.
Updated December 2023: We added five games, including Baldur’s Gate 3, Lethal Company, and Risk of Rain 2.
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Courtesy of Larian Studios
Baldur’s Gate 3
Reinvigorating the fantasy of Dungeons & Dragons tabletop roleplaying is no mean feat, but Baldur’s Gate 3 manages to combine an immersive world full of interesting characters, witty writing, and exciting combat. The sense of boundless choice begins with the character creator, and when you are ready to embark on an adventure you can have up to three friends join you to play through the campaign online (couch co-op is supported too). Party members can combine their skills and tactics, share gear, and vote on dialogue choices, making this one of the best co-op experiences around.
2 to 4 players can party up and go questing.
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Courtesy of Iron Gate
Valheim
This open-world survival game stormed onto the scene like a berserker with bloodlust and managed to find a fresh spin on the genre. Together with up to nine friends, you can share resources, build a settlement, and then pile into a longboat and sail off in search of fame and fortune. There’s a vast landscape to explore, teeming with monsters to slay, but you can also craft, farm, and build to your heart’s content. It’s an unforgiving world, so having a good crew at your side is essential.
Up to 10 Vikings can work together to survive online.