If you're hunting for split-screen features in Obsidian Entertainment's survival adventure, here is the direct answer: Grounded does not offer local co-op or split-screen support on any platform. Whether you play on an Xbox console, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or PC, every single participant needs their own individual system, copy of the game, and an active internet connection to join forces in the backyard.
While the absence of couch co-op frustrates households wanting to share a single screen, the game compensates with a robust online multiplayer architecture. Understanding how this system works helps you figure out the best alternative setup for you and your friends.
The Reality of Local Play in Grounded
Couch co-op has steadily vanished from many modern AAA survival crafting games due to hardware limitations. Rendering a sprawling, hyper-detailed open world with complex physics and dynamic insect AI twice on a single machine demands heavy processing power.
Because of this performance bottleneck, Obsidian Entertainment built Grounded strictly around online multiplayer. You can't connect a second controller to an Xbox Series X or PS5 and drop a second player into your world. Every backyard explorer requires their own hardware.
- Single Console Limit: Only one player can log into Grounded per active hardware system.
- No Offline Couch Play: You cannot play cooperatively without an internet connection and separate accounts.
- No LAN Support: Traditional local area network (LAN) play is absent; sessions run through cloud infrastructure and online connections.
How Online Co-Op and Crossplay Function Instead
Even though local couch play isn't an option, Grounded shines when played with friends online. The game supports up to four players in a single session. Better yet, it features full crossplay across Xbox consoles, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC (via Steam and the Microsoft Store).
To bridge different platforms together, players must link a free Microsoft account through the game's options menu. Once connected, you can invite friends regardless of what system they're using.
Utilizing Shared Worlds
One standout feature for cooperative groups is the Shared World system. In standard multiplayer formats, the host must be online for anyone else to access the save file. Shared Worlds solve this restriction:
- Convert an ordinary game save into a Shared World via the game menu.
- Upload the save to the cloud storage provided by Obsidian.
- Grant hosting permissions to your trusted co-op partners.
- Any designated friend can download and host that exact world session even when you're offline.
This feature ensures your shared base-building progress doesn't stall just because the original creator isn't online.
Setting Up an Online Multiplayer Session
If you're ready to team up with friends across separate screens, launching a session takes just a few moments. Follow these steps to get your backyard expedition started:
- Launch Grounded and select Multiplayer from the main title screen.
- Choose Host Online Game if you want to start a fresh save or load an existing file.
- Set your preferred game difficulty (Mild, Moderate, Whoa!, or Creative).
- Once your lobby opens, invite your friends through your platform's overlay or the in-game player list.
- Friends can also select Join Online Game to find your public or password-protected lobby from their own game menus.
Common Workarounds for Same-House Players
Families or roommates living in the same home who still want to play Grounded together have to get creative since split-screen is unavailable. Here are the most practical setups players use:
- Dual Setup Side-by-Side: Placing two TVs or monitors and two consoles (or a PC and a console) next to each other in the same room replicates the social feel of couch co-op without performance compromises.
- Cloud Streaming and Console Sharing: On Xbox, you can set a home console so one player uses an alternate profile on the physical hardware while another plays via Xbox Cloud Gaming or a secondary PC, requiring only a single digital game purchase under specific account-sharing guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will split-screen ever be added to Grounded via an update?
No. The developers wrapped up major content additions with updates like the Fully Yoked patch, and hardware constraints make a retrofitted split-screen mode extremely unlikely for the current game.
Do I need an active subscription to play co-op online?
Yes. Depending on your hardware, you'll need Xbox Game Pass Core/Ultimate, PlayStation Plus, or Nintendo Switch Online to access multiplayer features on consoles. PC players on Steam or the Microsoft Store do not require a paid subscription to play online.
Can Nintendo Switch players host smooth multiplayer sessions?
While the Nintendo Switch supports crossplay, its hardware limitations mean it's usually better for a more powerful PC or current-gen console to host the Shared World to avoid performance drops or crashes.
How do I turn off spiders if my co-op partner is arachnophobic?
Grounded features a dedicated Arachnophobia Safe Mode located in the accessibility settings. This slider lets you reduce the spider models down to floating blobs, making the game approachable for players who want to enjoy the co-op experience without severe trigger elements.
