Epic Games
Thanks to the 11.30 update of Fortnite, players are now able to play the game split-screen with a friend. Here’s how you can do that.
When Fortnite released, it was immediately a hit and reignited friendships all across the world as you’d always want to play “just one more game.”
This was good news if you had friends you had long since moved away from and wanted a way to reconnect, but it didn’t really help if you wanted to play with a sibling or significant other. Before, you’d need to own two of the same console, which just isn’t ideal.
However, that isn’t a problem anymore as Epic Games has finally introduced a way for players to do just that in Fortnite Chapter 2.
Here’s how to play Fortnite split-screen with a friend and start getting those Victory Royales.
How to Play Fortnite Split-Screen on Xbox One and PS4
Split Screen is here!
Play Duos and Squads with a friend on the same PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.
It’s quite simple if you’re trying to play with a friend. Firstly, you’ll need to make sure you have a spare controller plugged into or connected to your console of choice.
If you’re on Xbox One, at least one of the accounts will need an Xbox Live Gold subscription, while the PS4 will not have any such restriction.
From there, a player will have to sign in and on the second controller, you’ll either have the prompt to hit X or A, depending on your platform, where you’ll then sign in and then you’re in business.
This will only be available in the Duos and Squads modes since playing split-screen Solos would create an unfair advantage since you could just get free eliminations.
Epic does say they are still working on this implementation and they encourage players to report any bugs they run into.
Another limitation is you’ll only be able to play with just one other friend. Other games, such as the Halo: Master Chief Collection, allow 4-player co-op. That doesn’t mean it won’t be available sometime in the future, but it isn’t an option now.
Can You Play Split-Screen on Other Platforms?
NintendoCan you play split-screen Fortnite on Nintendo Switch?
For the time being, Fortnite split-screen is only available on PS4 and Xbox One, meaning mobile players and those on PC and the Nintendo Switch are left in the dark.
Given the Switch’s roots in local co-op, it does seem like a curious omission, but then you think about how the game struggles to even reach 30 frames-per-second on the platform, and you realize it might be for the best.
Epic Games hasn’t mentioned if they would ever open up split-screen for other platforms, but we’ll do our best and keep an eye out for information if it ever becomes available.
One platform we can almost certainly guarantee we won’t see split-screen for is mobile. The screens are already small enough as is and we can’t even imagine how difficult it’d be to play with multiple people on one phone.
Fortnite is out now for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC via the Epic Games Launcher, iOS, and Android devices.