Is Borderlands 3 Split Screen? Everything You Need to Know About Co-op Play

Borderlands 3 supports split screen — but the details matter. Whether it works the way you're imagining depends on your platform, the number of players, and some technical trade-offs that aren't always obvious upfront. Here's a clear breakdown of how it actually works.

Yes, Borderlands 3 Has Split Screen Co-op 🎮

Borderlands 3 includes local split screen multiplayer, continuing a series tradition that goes back to the original game. You can play through the entire campaign cooperatively on a single screen with another person sitting next to you — no second console, no second copy of the game, no online subscription required for the local portion.

That said, the experience isn't identical across every platform or player count.

How Many Players Can Play Split Screen?

This is where platform matters significantly.

Console players can play with one other person locally in split screen. PC players do not have access to local split screen at all — co-op on PC is online only.

It's also worth noting that Borderlands 3 supports online multiplayer up to 4 players across all platforms, including PC. So if your group is larger than two, you're looking at online co-op rather than local split screen, regardless of platform.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Split: Does It Matter?

On consoles, Borderlands 3 gives you a choice between horizontal split (screen divided top and bottom) and vertical split (screen divided left and right). This sounds like a minor detail, but it has a real impact on playability.

• Horizontal split gives each player a wider view but compresses the vertical space, which can make it harder to spot enemies above or below.
• Vertical split gives each player a taller, more natural field of view — closer to what a single-player experience looks like — but narrows the horizontal span.

Neither is objectively better. Player height, TV size, seating distance, and personal preference all factor into which feels more comfortable.

Performance in Split Screen: What to Expect

Running two game instances on one screen is demanding, and Borderlands 3 handles this differently depending on your hardware generation.

On PS4 and Xbox One (base models), split screen mode runs at a reduced resolution and targets 30fps — lower than the single-player experience on the same hardware. This was a known limitation at launch and is a common trade-off on last-gen hardware.

On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, performance improves meaningfully. The newer hardware allows for better frame rates and resolution targets in split screen, though results vary depending on in-game conditions like large enemy encounters or explosion-heavy sequences.

The key variable is hardware generation — the gap between playing split screen on a base PS4 versus a PS5 is noticeable in terms of visual smoothness and clarity.

How the Co-op Scaling Works

One of the more important mechanics to understand is loot instancing and level scaling — because they directly affect whether split screen feels fair or frustrating.

• Loot instancing (optional): Each player sees their own loot drops, which eliminates the classic scramble for the same item. You can toggle this in settings.
• Level scaling: The game adjusts enemy difficulty based on the host's level, which means a higher-level player can carry a lower-level friend without the game becoming completely trivial — or unplayably hard.

These systems mean that split screen is genuinely playable at different player progression levels, not just when two people are at the exact same point in the game.

Starting a Split Screen Session

The process is straightforward on console:

1. Have the second player sign into their profile (or a guest account) on the same console.
2. Launch Borderlands 3 and load a character or start a new game.
3. The second player connects a controller and presses the button prompt that appears on screen.
4. Choose your split orientation and go.

Progress saves to each player's own profile. The second player earns XP, keeps loot, and retains character progression — they aren't playing on a throwaway session.

Online and Local Hybrid Play 🕹️

One feature worth knowing: Borderlands 3 supports a hybrid co-op setup where two players share one console in local split screen, and that console session connects online to bring in additional remote players. This means a couch co-op pair could technically play alongside two online friends simultaneously, reaching the full 4-player cap.

This setup introduces more variables — network quality, NAT types, and host connection speed all affect how smoothly it runs.

What Changes Between Platforms

The Part That Depends on Your Setup

The mechanics are consistent — split screen works, it covers the full game, and the co-op systems are genuinely designed to support it. But whether that experience feels smooth and enjoyable depends on factors specific to your situation: which console generation you're on, the size and quality of the display you're playing on, how different your co-op partner's character level is from yours, and how sensitive either of you is to frame rate dips during intense sequences.

Two people playing split screen on a 55-inch 4K TV with a PS5 are having a meaningfully different experience than two people on a base Xbox One with a 32-inch 1080p set — same game, same feature, different result.