Best Xbox Co-Op Games 2022: Multiplayer Games For Xbox One, Series X, Series S

A Way Out (Xbox One)

• How many players: 2 players online or locally.
• Is it on Game Pass? Yes.

Built from the ground up as an exclusive co-op gameplay experience, HazelightStudio’s A Way Out sees players thrust into the roles of prison escapees who need to work closely together in order to succeed and requires some tight teamwork if you’re going to get protagonists Leo and Vincent through their ordeal alive.

There’s a nice mixture of gameplay styles here, a little bit of puzzling, a little bit of action and combat, and the whole thing is held together by some fine voice acting and strong writing. It may not quite hit the heights of the studio’s follow-up, It Takes Two, but A Way Out is a fine co-op gameplay experience that provides plenty of tension and drama over its running time.

Borderlands Legendary Collection (Xbox One)

• How many players: Up to four players online or offline.
• Is it on Game Pass? No.

Love it or hate it - and in terms of its humour we’re really somewhere in between - the Borderlands franchise undoubtedly delivers some of the finest looter shooter action out there on a purely mechanical and aesthetic level.

With the GOTY edition of the original game, its sequel and prequel all included here, and each one of them fully playable from start to finish in co-op, this collection is an absolute treasure trove for fans who like to blast across the wastelands of Pandora with their friends, or even a bunch of strangers in tow.

Castle Crashers Remastered (Xbox One)

• How many players: Up to four players online and locally.
• Is it on Game Pass? No.

Originally released all the way back in 2008, Castle Crashers gets the remaster it deserves in this polished re-release of The Behemoth’s cult classic.

In Castle Crashers Remastered, you and up to three other players set out to save some princesses and, while the story is as basic as stories get, it isn’t really the point here as this one is all about the addictive and satisfying hack and slash action and irreverent humour. With tight controls, lots of unlockables and modes, an excellent art style and tons of replayability, this reworked gem is well worth jumping into with friends.

Cuphead (Xbox One)

• How many players: Two-player local co-op.
• Is it on Game Pass? No.

Cuphead caused quite the stir when it was originally released back in 2017 with an amazing art style echoing back to the classic cartoons of the 1930s pared with some fiendishly difficult boss battles and bullet-hell gameplay. In two-player mode you’ll need to team up on the same screen in order to blast your way through the incoming madness and, for fans of tough side-scrolling shooter action, this one’s an absolute must-play.

Deep Rock Galactic (Xbox One)

• How many players: Up to four players online.
• Is it on Game Pass? Yes.

If you’ve yet to try Ghost Ship Games’ stellar space spelunking shooter we really can’t recommend it enough. Deep Rock Galactic charges you and up to three friends with dropping down into the dark and dangerous caverns of the planet Hoxxas to mine for riches. Of course, once there, you and your crew will find yourselves face to face with all manner of alien creatures who aren’t too keen on letting you get back out again.

This is a game that requires proper teamwork and the balancing of each of your crew’s various powers in order to get into a mine, dig out whatever objective is required and successfully escape in time. It’s so easy to get lost in these dark labyrinths, time is always against you and the dangers that lurk around every corner ensure that each run here is a tense and exhilarating blast of co-op action.

Destiny 2 (Xbox One)

• How many players: Up to six players online.
• Is it on Game Pass? Yes.

Bungie’s FPS behemoth continues to evolve and expand some four years after its initial release and with the base game now completely free – and the entire epic experience available via Game Pass – there really is no reason not to dive in and try this vast space saga out.

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of top-notch, slick and stylish looter shooter action to enjoy with a team of up to six guardians here and, with additional content drops planned for some time to come, the Destiny universe is one that’s gonna be with us for the foreseeable future. There’s never been a better time to suit up Guardians!

Diablo III: Eternal Collection (Xbox One)

• How many players: Four players online and locally.
• Is it on Game Pass? No.

Blizzard’s epic action RPG may not be available on Game Pass - and is still pretty expensive if you don’t manage to catch it in a sale - but for us, it’s still worth every penny. A proper modern masterpiece, Diablo 3’s mixture of engaging class systems that mesh smartly in co-op play, exciting combat and expansive lore makes for an endlessly playable and deeply satisfying experience when worked through with friends.

The transition from its PC origins to consoles is a smooth one too with a new control system that just works, and you needn’t worry about difficulty curves too much either as the action here is intuitive and easy enough to pick up in minutes. Teaming up with friends or random online strangers to delve into the darkest depths in search of loot here is one of the great co-op experiences on modern consoles.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 (Xbox One)

• How many players: Four players online or two players locally.
• Is it on Game Pass? No.

One of our absolute favourite games of all time, Larian Studios’ masterpiece is a staggering achievement, a breathtakingly detailed, complex, action-packed, hilarious and emotional world all tucked up inside one of the greatest RPGs we’ve played – and the entire thing can be blasted through in co-op with your pals!

This is a delightfully deep and complex CRPG that’s got what it takes to challenge the most hardened of players with mind-bogglingly clever combat that blends together beautifully when approached as a group. It also comes with plenty of options and modes to ensure that even teams of beginners can get stuck right in and have a great time. We’ve been playing this one repeatedly on various systems since it was first released and genuinely never tire of its amazing world, top-notch combat, a fantastic cast of characters and some of the absolute best writing in the biz. Divinity: Original Sin 2 really is as good as games get.

Don't Starve Together: Console Edition (Xbox One)

• How many players: Up to six players online or two players locally.
• Is it on Game Pass? No.

This standalone expansion to Don’t Starve sees groups of players work together to gather the resources required in order to stay alive, incorporating multiplayer elements that were much requested by fans of the original solo game.

Playing with either friends or randoms online, you’ll need to use tight teamwork in order to get crafting the necessary tools and structures required to survive this game’s bleak environments, spending your day's gathering and building and your nights defending against the enemy onslaughts. With three game modes included – Survival, Wilderness and Endless, there’s a level of difficulty to suit everyone here from the original tough challenges to Endless mode’s more relaxed ruleset. Don’t Starve is one of the best survival titles we’ve played, and this cooperative version does a great job of incorporating group play into the mix.

Gears 5 (Xbox One)

• How many players: Up to five players online and three players locally.
• Is it on Game Pass? Yes.

Gears 5 is an absolutely essential entry in the long-running franchise that sees the Gears right back at the top of their game in an action-packed adventure that's fully playable in co-op either locally or online. There’s a strong campaign here, surprisingly character-driven stuff for a series that’s known chiefly for its brutal battles, it manages to pack an emotional punch while serving up all the carnage fans have come to expect.

With the Ultimate Edition of this sprawling adventure available on Game Pass, alongside the excellent Hivebusters expansion, there’s no excuse not to grab some friends, ready your Lancers and get blasting some Locust scum across the main campaign, Escape and Horde modes!