Yet Fortnite is the only big battle royale to offer split-screen as of this writing, with other titles on the market choosing to focus on online play. Even Call of Duty: Warzone does not include a form of split-screen despite mainline Call of Duty titles doing so. Split-screen gameplay is a highlight of owning a console, and one of the biggest genres on the market right now should allow for that type of co-op gameplay.
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Fortnite’s Split-Screen Changes the Game
The gameplay loop of a battle royale is simple: Players either jump in solo or with a group, leap out of a flying vehicle, and the battle will commence until there is one person - or one team - left standing. The split-screen mode in Fortnite follows this same gameplay loop, but there is a huge difference that can drastically change the experience.
Split-screen mode does away with the need to group up online and yell at other players through a microphone. With split-screen, players can sit on the same couch, and they tend to see the exact same thing as both viewpoints are presented on-screen. This can drastically help when it comes to working as a team to get a victory royale, and a game like Fortnite is more fun when spending time with friends.
Couch co-op used to be everywhere, and this was one of the highlights of buying a video game console. It has died down as the industry put more of a focus on online play, but being able to boot up a game like Mario Party or Halo with friends while hanging out together is a feeling that cannot be beat, and Fortnite allows for that to continue.
Battle Royales are Built for Split-Screen
If Fortnite can successfully implement a split-screen feature, there is no reason that other battle royales can’t. It is surprising that Apex Legends and PUBG: Battlegrounds have less of a historical reason to include split-screen than Call of Duty: Warzone, but those two games would work great if the option was available given they’re all about competitive play and teamwork.
Split-screen modes offer a lot more to the player than a simple boost in teamwork. Split-screen changes the game and does something that online matches cannot, as when a player is getting attacked, the other one can feel that same energy and respond. Tension fills the room and the competition fuels the conversation, which is a great way to spent time together. On top of that, split-screen allows for families to play together, and it can be a great way to bond with younger siblings or cousins.
Playing video games through couch co-op provides a feeling like no other that can be hard to quantify. The industry has been pulling away from it, but Fortnite shows there is still a place for it in one of the biggest genres around. Other battle royales should follow suit and change the landscape for good with split-screen co-op.
Fortnite is available for Android, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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