Are you looking for new PS4 games to play with your friends? Here are our picks for the 10 best co-op games for PS4.
Looking for some co-op games you can play on your PlayStation 4? Got kids or friends over and want to play with them instead of against them?
The good thing about the PS4 is that its library overflows with great cooperative games to choose from. It may be nearing the end of its life-cycle but it still sees a ton of great games released on a regular basis.
Your choice of purchase becomes even more crucial if you’re on a tight budget and can only buy one game. To help you get your money’s worth, here is a look at the 10 best coop games PS4 players can dive right into.
Modern PS4 Coop Games: The Game Has Changed
Keep in mind that the days of couch co-op is fading into the past. Online multiplayer is the trend these days. This may change in the near future, with the Nintendo Switch bringing local co-op back to the spotlight, but for now, the majority of games focus on online co-op.
With all this in mind, most of the games listed below focus on online play. Very few offer couch co-op and those are the ones that easily stand out from the crowd. Some games offer both and those are among the best online co op games PS4 players can get into.
The 10 Best Co-op Games for PS4
Given how the PS4 came out back in 2013, some of the multiplayer games listed here are also on other systems like the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. That said, many of these multi-console titles thrive on the PS4 or came out on the system first.
This list may also change in the future. More games will release soon which may bump off some of the games on this list.
As of the time of writing, however, these are the best co-op games for the PlayStation 4:
#10 Rocket League
- Website: https://www.rocketleague.com/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
- Genre: Sports
- Developer: Psyonix, Panic Button Games
- Release: 2015
What do you get when you mix the popularity of soccer (football for everyone outside the US) and cool cars? The answer is Rocket League and it’s so addicting other consoles are dipping into it too. Rocket League is our pick for the best splitscreen game for PlayStation 4.
The goal of Rocket League is simple: hit the ball so it falls into the other team’s goal net. The mechanics are quite dynamic, however, thanks to the fact you’re using a high-speed car instead of regular human players. You can also perform trick moves like flips to gain the advantage and bonuses.
Although it is available on other systems, the PS4 has the advantage of presenting the game in 4k ultra HD and consistent 60 fps when played on a PS4 Pro. The game also features cross-platform play, ensuring you can still enjoy multiplayer games with people on the PC or Xbox One.
#9 Destiny 2
- Website: https://www.bungie.net/
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
- Genre: First-Person Shooter
- Developer: Bungie
- Release: 2017
Coming from the same team that created the Halo franchise, Destiny 2 is a testament to how great game design can bring life and excitement to a market over-saturated with FPS games. Bungie brought the same attention to detail and style seen in their Halo games and brought a whole new, stronger focus on co-op multiplayer for the Destiny games.
For fans of the original game, Destiny 2 does its best to fix what didn’t work the first time around. This means presenting a stronger campaign story, a more flesh-out antagonist, and more refined raid mechanics.
If you’re a little tired of co-op, the game also features PVP matches to spice things up.
#8 Monster Hunter World
- Website: http://www.monsterhunterworld.com/
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
- Genre: Action Role-Playing
- Developer: Capcom
- Release: 2018
The latest in the Monster Hunter franchise is also the most streamlined entry. At the same time, it features refinements to mechanics like harvesting monster parts and crafting, making it enticing for both newcomers and veteran Monster Hunter players alike.
The only downside is that this means some features, like weapon arts, are not present. Fortunately, the changes to the multiplayer aspect make it easier for people to help each other on a hunt.
It’s a complex game that requires a bit of grinding and the main campaign story isn’t its strongest suit. Monster Hunter World shines the most when played with friends.
#7 Fortnite
- Website: https://www.epicgames.com/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Xbox One, PC
- Genre: First-Person Shooter
- Developer: Epic Games
- Release: 2017
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds or PUBG revolutionized what games could do to with multiplayer mechanics. The developers took the concept popularized by films like Battle Royale and The Hunger Games and turned it into a massive co-op and PVP video game.
Of course, with PUBG’s popularity came the successors that would either imitate or improve upon the original’s design. Fortnite may seem like one of those successors due to its 2017 release but the truth is the developers first revealed the game as far back as 2011. The fact that it is one of the pioneers of the genre and not a PUBG clone is why PUBG developers can’t sue it for copyright issues.
If you’re new to this type of game, the mechanics are simple: you and other players get dropped into a wide zone at random. At that point, all the players have to scramble around to look for weapons and craft their own forts. They can’t stay in one place for too long, however, because a storm closes in every few minutes, making the zone smaller each round.
You can play the normal way, where it’s all about one player remaining at the end of the game, or try any of the team games that focus on co-op strategies.
#6 Rayman Legends
- Website: https://www.ubisoft.com/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC
- Genre: Platform Game
- Developer: Ubisoft
- Release: 2013
Sure, the PS4 doesn’t have platforming legends like Mario or Donkey Kong but it does have a few titles that can help fill in the void. Crash Bandicoot and Spyro both get the HD treatment on the PS4 but the one franchise that surprisingly offers killer co-op modes is Rayman.
Rayman Legends is a full-on sequel to Rayman Origins, which was a sort of soft reboot for the franchise. The game improves upon all the mechanics and level design choices presented in the first game. It also offers co-op gameplay at the same time.
You can also rest assured that Rayman Legends is not as chaotic as something like New Super Mario Brothers Wii when played with friends. The camera doesn’t fidget around when people are on different ends of the screen and the game adjusts its level difficulty according to the number of people playing.
#5 Minecraft
- Website: https://www.minecraft.net/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Android, iOS, etc.
- Genre: Action-adventure game, Open world, Sandbox
- Developer: Mojang
- Release: 2009
Although Microsoft purchased Minecraft back in 2014, the game is now available on every platform you can think of. It’s on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC, mobile devices, and of course the PS4.
How popular is the game for co-op play?
It now has over 75 million players on a monthly basis. You can play it on your own but the game is more enjoyable when played with a team, whether through local co-op or online. There’s nothing more satisfying than working together to craft rarer equipment and take on the Ender Dragon.
You’re never too old to play games like Minecraft. Where some games cater to the older demographic and some to kids, Minecraft is one of those rare games that everyone can enjoy.
#4 Overcooked
- Website: http://www.ghosttowngames.com/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
- Genre: Cooking Simulator
- Developer: Ghost Town Games
- Release: 2016
Overcooked is arguably among the best local co op games PS4 players can get into. It seems simple in design: you and up to three other players have to work together to prepare ingredients and cook up meals for demanding customers.
This mechanic gets more hectic faster than you’d imagine. There’s no other game that makes player scream in chaos as they try to organize their steps and hit all the mission objectives, all while the playing field shifts or new obstacles pop up.
It’s also a more affordable option compared to some of the other co-op games on this list. While Destiny 2 and Divinity: Original Sin 2 can cost up to $60 or more, you can find Overcooked at only $20.
#3 Divinity Original Sin 2
- Website: https://divinity.game/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
- Genre: Turn-Based Strategy, RPG
- Developer: Larian Studios
- Release: 2017
Tired of games that focus on shooting? Are you looking for an RPG instead that delivers a strong Dungeons & Dragons vibe? Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best 2 player games for PlayStation 4 to scratch that itch for a video game iteration of a tabletop RPG.
Battles are turn-based and take inspiration from the rules of Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and Fantasy AGE tabletop gaming systems. This also means there’s a strong emphasis on the single-player campaign and story.
The good news is that you can play the game with a friend. While you control the main character, someone else can control any of the other party members. The best thing is that you don’t have to be on the same screen together.
You can have one player prepare a trap ahead and then let someone else draw in the enemies. You can discuss with the other players to prepare an ambush or to fulfill two different quests simultaneously.
#2 Diablo III
- Website: https://us.diablo3.com/en/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC
- Genre: Hack and Slash
- Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
- Release: 2012
Diablo 3 is our pick for the best 4 player game for PlayStation 4. Although this game came out as far back as 2014, it continues to showcase how a dungeon crawler RPG can shine when played together. The difficulty scales up and down depending on how many players are present, the loot also changes, and you can play both online and local co-op.
You can even play the game with both local and online co-op at the same time. This means you can have one player sitting on the couch with you and another joining the game from their own home.
Unlike the PC version of Diablo III, you don’t have to maintain a constant online connection. This means you can play local co-op without staying online. Of course, you will need a connection if you intend on playing online co-op with friends.
#1 GTA V Online
- Website: https://www.rockstargames.com/V/
- Platform: PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, PC
- Genre: Action-Adventure Game
- Developer: Rockstar Games
- Release: 2013
Grand Theft Auto V’s single-player campaign is one of the best in the franchise but the reason why this game still draws in players five years after its release is its online mode.
This mode alone ranks it high on this list of 10 best coop games PS4 owners can play. If you’re looking for a game to buy as a gift and you want it to offer co-op gameplay, you can’t go wrong here.
GTA Online offers all sorts of team-based missions like raids, heists, races, and deathmatch rounds. There’s always a mission to play with GTA V Online and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon because at this point there’s still no word about Rockstar releasing GTA VI.
Further Reading
That concludes our best co-op games for PS4 list. We will continue to add more games as they are released in the coming months. Until then, check out our other roundups below:
- Best PC Co-Op Games
- Best Xbox One Co-Op Games
- Best Local Multiplayer Games
- Best LAN Games
- Best MMO Games
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