If you’ve ever grabbed a second controller while hanging out with a roommate or family member, wondering can you play split screen on Overwatch, you’re far from alone. For years, local co-op has been a staple of casual gaming nights, and Blizzard’s hero shooter has one of the most loyal fan bases that loves playing together in person. I’ve lost count of how many times my friends have asked me this before we planned a weekend gaming marathon, so I put together all the confirmed details, workarounds, and platform-specific rules you need to know before you get set up. No more digging through outdated forum threads or testing random hacks that break your game install – all the info here is up to date with the latest Overwatch patches and official Blizzard announcements.
Can You Play Split Screen on Overwatch Officially?
The short answer is no, there is no native split screen support for any version of Overwatch, including the original 2016 release and the current Overwatch 2 build, across any platform. Blizzard has never offered split screen as a feature, and they’ve been fairly transparent about why it’s not a priority right now. The game’s fast-paced 6v6 match format requires high frame rates and clear visibility of small enemy hitboxes, which would be hard to maintain if the screen is split in half, especially on lower-resolution displays.
Many players who tested fan-made split screen mods for the original Overwatch reported that it was almost impossible to spot distant enemies or track fast-moving heroes like Tracer when the screen was cut down to half size, which is one of the biggest barriers to official support. I talked to a Blizzard community rep at PAX East last year, and they confirmed that while the team gets hundreds of requests for split screen every month, the performance and gameplay tradeoffs are too big to prioritize right now, especially as they roll out new seasonal content and balance updates. That doesn’t mean it will never come, but you shouldn’t hold off on planning your game night waiting for an official announcement.
Workarounds to Play Overwatch With Friends Locally
Even without native split screen, there are plenty of ways to play Overwatch with friends in the same room, and most of them require very little extra setup. I’ve used all of these for my weekly game nights, and they work just as well as split screen for most casual groups, even if they’re not exactly the same as sharing one screen. You don’t need any special mods or third-party software for any of these options, and they’re all allowed under Blizzard’s terms of service, so you don’t have to worry about getting your account banned.
- Use two separate consoles or PCs on the same Wi-Fi: You can both log into separate Battle.net or console accounts, join the same party, and queue for matches side by side without lag if your internet is stable. You won’t have to squint at a split screen, and each player gets their own full display to track enemies and abilities.
- Host a custom game for local groups: If you have 3+ friends with their own devices, custom games let you set your own rules, turn off skill-based balancing, and play casual matches without worrying about competitive rank. You can even set up silly game modes like low-gravity Reinhardt fights or only support hero matches to keep things fun for casual players who don’t care about winning.
- Take turns streaming one player’s screen to a second display: If you only have one copy of the game, you can take turns playing while the other person watches and calls out enemy positions, which is still a fun casual option for groups. A lot of my friends actually prefer this method when we’re trying out new heroes, because you get live feedback from someone who can see the whole battlefield without being distracted by their own gameplay.
None of these options are true split screen, but they’re the closest alternatives available right now, and most players don’t notice the difference once they get into a match. If you’re worried about lag when multiple devices are on the same Wi-Fi, just make sure no one is streaming Netflix or downloading large files while you play, and you should have zero issues.
Platform-Specific Rules for Local Overwatch Play
While the core gameplay is the same across all platforms, there are a few small differences you need to know about depending on what system you and your friends use. I’ve tested all of these across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, so these tips are all tried and true.
PC players don’t have any extra restrictions for local network play, as long as each player has their own Battle.net account and copy of Overwatch. You don’t need any extra subscriptions, and you can even link your console accounts to your PC account to carry over your skins and progress if you switch between devices. The only thing to watch out for is making sure both players are on the same regional server, or you might run into queue errors when trying to join the same party.
PlayStation and Xbox users need an active PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Core subscription for each account to play online, even if you’re on the same local network. If you have a primary console, you can share your game library with other accounts on the same device, but you still need two separate consoles to play at the same time, since you can’t run two copies of Overwatch on one device at once.
Nintendo Switch players will notice more lag if multiple Switch devices are on the same Wi-Fi, so I recommend using a wired ethernet connection if possible for smoother matches. Switch players also have the best luck with custom games instead of quick play when playing locally, since custom matches have less network demand and won’t kick you for small lag spikes.
Is Split Screen Ever Coming to Overwatch?
There are no official plans for split screen support as of the latest seasonal update, but that doesn’t mean it’s off the table forever. A lot of other popular hero shooters like Apex Legends added split screen later in their lifecycle, so it’s possible Blizzard could add it if demand stays high enough. Some fans have speculated that split screen could be added for specific game modes first, like the PvE story missions or custom arcade modes, which are less competitive and have slower pacing than quick play or competitive matches. Arcade mode is the most likely candidate for first split screen support if Blizzard ever decides to add it, based on past community surveys the team has sent out.
If you want to see split screen added to Overwatch, the best way to let Blizzard know is to leave feedback on the official Overwatch forums or submit a request through the Battle.net support page. The team regularly reviews community feedback when planning future updates, so more requests mean a higher chance of split screen being added to the roadmap down the line. If they do add it, it will likely only be available for next-gen consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X/S) and high-end PCs, since older consoles don’t have the processing power to run two copies of the game at once without dropping frames heavily.
At the end of the day, if you’re asking can you play split screen on Overwatch, the short answer is no, not natively right now. But the workarounds we covered are more than enough for most casual groups to enjoy playing together in person, without waiting for Blizzard to add official support. Next time you’re planning a game night with friends, test out the two-device local network method first, and you’ll be queuing for quick play matches together in minutes. If you run into any issues setting up, double check that all accounts have active online subscriptions and are set to the same region, and you should be good to go.