The best co-op shooters you can play right now
We love first and third-person shooters, but we always enjoy them more when they allow for a bit of co-op action. Whether it’s shooting zombies, aliens, or simply very bad people, there’s nothing better than having some friends by your side to offer cover, firepower and moral support. And the good news is, if you’re a fan of co-op shooters, there are plenty for you to sink your teeth into. But what are the best co-op shooters available right now?
We’ve put together a list of the best co-op shooters available across PlayStation, Xbox and PC. All of these offer great fun for those who like to team up with others, and some can be played alone, too, which is ideal when your friends aren’t around.
So, whether you like first-person or third-person action, prefer to shoot zombies, monsters, aliens or people, we’ve got something to suit. Scroll down to see our picks of the best co-op shooters.
This list was originally published in September 2021 and has been periodically updated since.
The best co-op shooters you can play right now: Overview
Click on any game for more information.
1. Returnal
- Available on: PS5 and PC
When Returnal first released, it was strictly a single-player affair. But an update after launch added co-op play to this dark and dangerous roguelike shooter. Bringing a friend along for the ride massively changed Returnal, making it one of the best co-op shooters around. Providing you’re up for the challenge, that is.
Returnal casts you as a Selene, a lone space explorer who finds herself crash-landing on a mysterious — and very hostile — planet. There’s something very strange about her predicament though: death simply means she wakes up back at the wreckage of her ship, forced to go through the entire ordeal again, all with the hopes of finding her way home.
Play in co-op, and you’ll find yourself accompanied by another version of Selene. With two of you fighting together, your chances of survival might increase, but with Returnal’s enemies being out to get you, you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Especially when it comes to the bosses. By god, it’s good fun though, even if you do die, die and die again.
2. Outriders
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC
You know you’re playing a good game when you simply can’t bear to pull yourself away from it. For us, that game was Outriders, one of the best co-op shooters in recent years. It’s a game designed with co-op in mind, too, so while you can play alone, you’ll get way more out of the game when you’re playing with up to two friends by your side.
Set in a sci-fi world, Outriders sees you travel across a hostile planet in order to track down a mysterious signal. That signal may be the last beacon of hope for what’s left of humanity… so no pressure or anything. You’ve got your work cut out for you, with the planet you find yourself on absolutely teeming with enemies and deadly threats. Thankfully, there’s plenty of loot to be found, and strengthening your character makes up a big part of Outriders’ gameplay loop. With the right weapons and armour, those enemies will be no problem at all… right?
3. Killing Floor 2
- Available on: PS4, Xbox One and PC
Killing Floor 2 might be a little long in the tooth now, but while we’re waiting for Killing Floor 3 to release, it’s still amongst the best co-op shooters you can play. This madcap, wave-based shooter will throw dozens of enemies at you, pushing you and your friends to your limits.
Between each wave of enemies, you’ll get time to take stock, heal up, equip new weapons and buy new gear if you can afford. You’ll always want to be as prepared as you can possibly be, because the challenge of Killing Floor 2 gets greater the longer you can survive. It’s important to work together with your co-op buddies, making sure you’re covering different areas of the map and offering a good mixture of offense and defence against your incoming attackers. Success feels seriously good, and even if you fail? Well, Killing Floor is just so good that you’ll still be coming back for more.
Read our review of Killing Floor 2
4. World War Z
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC
There are loads of games that pit you against hordes of zombies, but none are as exciting as World War Z. Working as a team of up to four survivors, World War Z challenges you to complete acts spread across numerous episodes. In each act, you’ll have to complete objectives while fending off zombie hordes, and to survive, you’ll truly need to work as a team.
Normal zombies aren’t too challenging to put down, but they have strength in numbers. At times, it’s insane how many zombies there are trying to swarm you – they’ll even climb on top of one another to reach high places. And then there are special zombies to contend with – if you don’t keep your wits about you, they’ll quickly put you down.
We think World War Z is the best co-op shooter available right now if you love zombies. And the latest Aftermath expansion for the game adds in additional content and features that really revitalise the experience.
Read our review of World War Z
5. Aliens: Fireteam Elite
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC
The Alien film franchise has a legion of fans, but video games based on it over the years have been a mixed bag. Thankfully, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is one of the better ones.
With numerous classes available, Aliens: Fireteam Elite allows you to create your very own marine and then team up with two others to combat an alien threat. Across four campaigns you’ll find yourself fighting for your life as you engage in combat against xenomorphs, androids and other outlandish creatures. It’s a tense, action-packed affair that demands that you work effectively as a team.
The missions are a little linear and repetitive, but if you’re an Alien fan, chances are you’ll fall in love with Aliens: Fireteam Elite. New content and features are set to be added for free post-launch, too, making it a game you might want to keep coming back to. As co-op shooters go, it’s one of the best.
Read our review of Aliens: Fireteam Elite
6. The Division 2
- Available on: PS4, Xbox One and PC
If you love loot as well as co-op shooters, The Division 2 will be right up your street. Following on from the first game in the series, The Division 2 finds you working as a Division agent in Washington DC. It’s your job to liberate the area from terrorists, basically, and you’re going to do that with extreme prejudice.
Exploring a large open world, you’ll undertake thrilling missions and engage in activities, all the while levelling up your character and finding loot that allows them to grow ever more powerful. The fun doesn’t have to end when you complete the game’s story, either, thanks to endgame content and the meaty Warlords of New York expansion.
While The Division 2 is perfectly playable as a single-player game, it truly shines when played in co-op. So, if you’re after a shooter you can play online with up to three friends, be sure to give it a go.
Read our review of The Division 2
7. Borderlands 3
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
The Borderlands series has been a staple for co-op shooter fans for years now, but the latest entry, Borderlands 3, is undoubtedly the best.
With its ridiculous cast of characters that are all larger than life, Borderlands 3 offers plenty of looter-shooter action along with lashings of humour. Jumping from planet to planet, you’ll find that there’s an obscene number of quests to complete, each and every one of them offering rewards. If you’re a glutton for loot you’ll want to complete all of them, obtaining items that will allow you to grow ever more powerful.
Borderlands 3 is another co-op shooter that perfectly playable solo, but it’s certainly at its best when played with others. Four players can team up together when playing online, and on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S split-screen is also available for up to four players. Those still playing on PS4 and Xbox One consoles can only make use of two-player split-screen, unfortunately.
Read our review of Borderlands 3
8. Destiny 2
- Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
If you want a game that’s ever-changing, keeping your interest long into the future, you might want to start playing Destiny 2.
Developed by Bungie, known for its work on the Halo series, Destiny 2 is simply wonderful to play. Whether you’re following the game’s story (which will admittedly be hard if you’re jumping in for the first time), or taking part in a raid, chances are you’ll love the movement and gunplay. Like many games on this list, though, what may keep you going back is the desire to grow as powerful as you can be, which is achieved by collecting loot.
While Destiny 2 is one of the best co-op shooters available right now, the basic version of the game is available for free. So, no matter what platform you game on, consider giving it a download just to see if you get on with it.
9. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
- Available on: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
The Halo series is legendary, and the Master Chief Collection for Xbox consoles bundles up most entries while giving them a visual makeover.
Containing Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo Reach and Halo 4, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a co-op shooter fan’s dream. All games allow you to team up with others as you tackle their campaigns – even split-screen co-op is possible – and it’s undoubtedly the best way to play them. More players simply means more fun.
Available via Xbox Game Pass for both Xbox consoles and Windows 10 PCs, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a must-play if you and your friends are subscribers. If not, you can buy the game, of course, and it’s not a bad move as it offers exceptional value for money.
