In 2019, Epic Games changed the battle royale formula when it introduced split-screen to Fortnite. This allows two people to join a match together utilizing the same console. Each person can use their own account, so they can jump in, fight for victory, and enjoy all the benefits of the game from the comfort of the couch. It brought couch co-op to one of the biggest games on the market, and has provided an experience like no other.
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.
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.