Split-Screen and Shared-Screen RPGs Like Baldur’s Gate 3
Table of Contents
Finished BG3 on one couch? Here’s what to play next
You finished Baldur’s Gate 3 side by side, and most “co-op RPG” lists quietly include games you can only play online. This one doesn’t.
What “split-screen” means here
Every pick runs locally on one screen. Each one is labelled split-screen (separate views), shared screen (one camera), or battles only (player two joins fights).
Pick by platform first
BG3 caps local co-op at two players, and on PC both need controllers. Handheld owners can check our Steam Deck picks for BG3 fans. For matches beyond the couch, see games matched to what you loved about BG3.
The short answer: five RPGs you can play side by side
These five run locally on one screen, sorted from closest BG3 match outward.
Quick list
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 — split-screen, two players
- Divinity: Original Sin — split-screen, two players
- Sea of Stars — shared screen, up to three
- Sunderfolk — shared screen, up to four, phones as controllers
- Tales of Vesperia — battles only, up to four
How we picked
A game only made the list if we could verify local co-op on at least one current platform. Online-only co-op didn’t count; if you also play remotely, our co-op picks for BG3 fans cover that. We checked official support pages, store listings and developer posts, and played none of these for this piece.
The closest match: Larian’s own couch RPGs
BG3’s co-op design came from these two games, and both still support local split-screen.
⏱️ Verified 22 September 2026: Prices, sales, and subscription catalogues change constantly. Confirm on the storefront before you buy.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 — Definitive Edition
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch 2 · Length: 80+ hours (publisher description) · Mode: split-screen, 2 local; up to 4 online ·
It’s the same studio’s couch co-op one generation earlier: two heroes on one screen, free to wander apart.
Turn-based fights reward elemental combinations and height, so you end up planning each other’s setups between turns the way BG3 makes you. Local co-op is capped at two, and PC needs two controllers. Switch 2 owners should check our Switch 2 picks for BG3 fans.
Who it’s not for: A partner who found BG3’s fights slow. These ask for even more setup.
Divinity: Original Sin — Enhanced Edition
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One Mode: split-screen, 2 local · Rating: M (ESRB) [confirm on esrb.org]
It’s built around exactly two heroes sharing one destiny, which fits a pair perfectly.
Larian’s Enhanced Edition announcement added split-screen and controller support. Branching dialogue lets both players make their own decisions, even conflicting ones.
Who it’s not for: Anyone who needs modern polish. This is a 2015 release.
The pick no one lists: Sea of Stars
This is the one we’d hand to a pair where only one of you loved BG3’s systems.
Sea of Stars
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch · Mode: shared screen, up to 3 local ·
It shares BG3’s core loop: turn-based fights where timing and teamwork decide the outcome.
The free Dawn of Equinox update made the whole story playable by up to three players and added Co-op Timed Hits, so player two contributes every turn without managing builds. It’s also the only pick here that seats a third friend.
Who it’s not for: Couples who stayed for BG3’s dialogue choices. This is a fixed story with a set cast.
Why shared-screen suits mixed-skill pairs
With one camera, nobody gets lost in their own half of the TV. Full three-player co-op opens after roughly an hour, following a short solo stretch.
Two more couch RPGs, and the catch with each
Both play locally, but each makes a trade-off BG3 doesn’t.
Sunderfolk
Platforms: PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox, Switch — no Mac · Price: $49.99 at launch; on sale on Steam as of 20 Sept 2026 ·Mode: shared screen, up to 4 local via phones.
It’s a turn-based tactical RPG built for a table of friends, much like a D&D night.
Each phone becomes your controller, hand of cards and rulebook, and with phone controls only the host needs to own the game. The first four missions are free to try.
Who it’s not for: Anyone expecting BG3’s story weight. It’s mission-based, and everyone needs a charged phone.
Tales of Vesperia — Definitive Edition
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch · Mode: local co-op in battles only, up to 4 ·
It’s a big party-based fantasy adventure where each of you runs a party member in combat.
To bring a friend in, set a party slot to manual and a second controller takes that character. There’s no online play.
Who it’s not for: Pairs who explored BG3 together. Outside fights, only player one moves.
Mode and platform, side by side
The mode column matters more than the genre column here.
The table
| Game | Local mode | Platforms | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divinity: Original Sin 2 DE | Split-screen, 2 | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch 2 | 80+ hrs (publisher) | |
| Divinity: Original Sin EE | Split-screen, 2 | PC, PS4, Xbox One | ||
| Sea of Stars | Shared screen, 3 | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | ||
| Sunderfolk | Shared screen, 4 (phones) | PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch | $49.99 list; sale on Steam | |
| Tales of Vesperia DE | Battles only, 4 | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch |
Verified 22 September 2026.
Reading the mode column
Both Divinity games need two controllers on PC. To check any other game, use our Co-op Mode Finder.
Two famous picks that fail the couch test
Both of these show up in “co-op RPG” threads, and both will disappoint a couch pair.
Wasteland 3
It’s a superb two-player RPG, but inXile’s Wasteland 3 co-op support page states co-op is online only, with no local or split-screen mode. You need two machines and two copies.
Diablo IV on PC
Blizzard’s couch co-op article confirms couch co-op exists on console versions only. PC buyers who plan to play on one TV get nothing.
FAQ
1. Does Divinity: Original Sin 2 have split-screen?
Yes. Divinity: Original Sin 2 supports two-player local split-screen, and on PC both players need controllers.
2. Is Wasteland 3 couch co-op?
No. inXile states Wasteland 3 co-op is two players online only, with no local or split-screen mode.
3. Does Diablo 4 have couch co-op on PC?
No. Diablo IV couch co-op works on console versions only, and the PC version has no local option.
4. Does Sea of Stars have co-op?
Yes. A free update added Sea of Stars local co-op for up to three players on one shared screen.
5. Can Xbox Series S play BG3 split-screen?
Yes. Larian added Series S support in Patch 8, so all current consoles run two-player BG3 split-screen.
6. Do you need two controllers for split-screen on PC?
Yes, for BG3 and both Divinity games. Split-screen on PC can’t mix keyboard-and-mouse with a controller.
7. What’s the difference between split-screen and shared-screen co-op?
Split-screen gives each player a separate view. Shared-screen keeps everyone on one camera, as in Sea of Stars and Sunderfolk.
8. What’s the best turn-based co-op RPG for couples after BG3?
Divinity: Original Sin 2 for CRPG fans. Sea of Stars suits pairs where one partner prefers timing to build management.
9. Do both players need a copy for couch co-op?
Local co-op runs on one machine. Sunderfolk states that with phone controls only the host needs to own the game.
10. How many players can play these RPGs locally?
Two in both Divinity games, three in Sea of Stars, and four in Sunderfolk and Tales of Vesperia battles.
Pick your platform, then your pace
If you both loved BG3’s systems, buy Divinity: Original Sin 2 tonight. It’s the closest couch match there is. If one of you just came along for the ride, Sea of Stars is the kinder second date. Want next month’s picks? Join our monthly picks digest.
