Chained Together Split Screen: Local Co-op Setup

01

Choose the right kind of co-op

These three arrangements can put friends in the same adventure, but they handle the screen and input differently.

The table describes the technical distinction. It does not establish a purchase rule for every native online arrangement, household, or account-sharing configuration. Check the current Steam terms relevant to your setup before buying additional copies based on an assumption.

02

Prepare the PC and controllers

Start by checking whether the PC meets the system requirements. A local group still depends on the same machine rendering the game, even when several people are supplying inputs. Do not use the fact that a controller connects as proof that the full session will run comfortably.

Connect the controllers you intend to use and verify that Windows and Steam recognize them. If a device repeatedly disconnects, address that before diagnosing the game: check its power, connection, and whether another application detects its buttons. For an unfamiliar wireless setup, a wired test can help separate wireless trouble from player assignment trouble.

Keep keyboard and mouse within reach. Partial controller support is a reason to allow for menu interactions that differ from movement during gameplay. It does not mean that every button on every gamepad will display the same prompts or automatically match another player's layout.

03

Add players one device at a time

Use the current in-game setup interface rather than relying on an unverified universal “press this button to join” instruction. Menu labels and bindings can change, and the sources reviewed here do not establish one current button sequence for every controller.

An effective editorial setup routine is:

1. Launch the game with the intended controllers connected.
2. Select the local multiplayer arrangement offered by your current version.
3. Establish the first player's input and test movement in a safe starting area.
4. Add another player through the displayed interface, then test only that person's device.
5. Repeat until the intended group is present, checking existing assignments after each addition.
6. Confirm camera, jump, interaction, and pause or menu access before climbing away.

This sequence is deliberately incremental. If the third device changes the second player's behaviour, you know which addition exposed the problem. Connecting everything and immediately launching a difficult run makes the same fault harder to identify.

04

Check that inputs are actually separate

Ask everyone to stop touching their controls except the player being tested. Have that person move briefly, then pass the test to the next person. Two working controllers are not sufficient if both operate the same character.

Likewise, two keyboards attached to a PC should not be assumed to create two independently assigned players. Check what the game actually offers and recognizes. A keyboard-and-mouse player plus controller players may be useful, but the exact available arrangement should come from your current session rather than a copied instruction for a different game.

Write down a simple assignment list if devices look identical. “Left seat uses this controller” is easier to verify than guessing which connected device the game currently considers player two. The controls guide explains why the current bindings screen matters more than a generic online key list.

05

What the four-controller reports establish

In the Steam discussion “Multiplayer Execution”, Covenant reported on 29 June 2024 that they used four Bluetooth controllers locally, with keyboard and mouse also available as a player option. A later reply described four Xbox One controllers connected over Bluetooth, while still needing keyboard and mouse for certain selections.

Other participants reported controller assignment problems, including two devices controlling one player. These are useful firsthand reports that a four-controller arrangement has worked for some players; they are not a compatibility promise for every model, driver, or newer game build. The current official baseline remains partial controller support.

06

Troubleshoot two devices controlling one player

Return to a safe setup state and repeat the individual-input test. Note which device moves which character before changing anything. Then make one reversible adjustment at a time and check the result immediately.

Inspect both the game's assignments and Steam's controller configuration. Avoid changing several mapping options, reconnecting every device, and switching connection methods at once: a successful result would leave you unable to tell which action helped. Record the original settings so that an unsuccessful experiment is easy to undo.

If gameplay responds but menu buttons do not, use the available keyboard and mouse to continue inspecting the setup. That symptom is different from a controller that produces no input anywhere. Describing the difference clearly makes a support request much easier to answer.

07

Understand Remote Play Together

Steam's official Remote Play page explains that Remote Play Together shares a local multiplayer game over the internet. One player owns and runs the game, invites friends, and streams the session while receiving their inputs. This is the feature's documented model, rather than a claim that every native online lobby has the same ownership rules.

The host can manage shared keyboard and mouse access, while friends can use their own controllers. Test the local session first, then add the remote connection as another layer. A working local arrangement gives you a clearer starting point if a remote player later encounters delayed inputs or an unexpected assignment.

Steam's general description supports many compatible games and devices. Chained Together's own one-to-four-player listing still controls this game's group size. Streaming to another device also does not establish a native port for that device's operating system.

08

Make the shared display comfortable

Before beginning a long run, sit where each player will actually play and check whether everyone can read their portion of the screen. A layout that looks clear from the desk may be difficult from a sofa farther away. Check obstacle edges and on-screen information before reaching a section where a missed detail causes a long fall.

Agree who handles menus and who calls the next jump. Keep the first practice route short enough to adjust seating, audio, and controls without wasting substantial progress. These are practical group habits, rather than hidden mechanics or guaranteed performance settings.

09

Verify recovery before the long session

Once everyone can control a separate character, choose a difficulty together and test the way you intend to stop and resume. Input setup and progress recovery are different systems; success with one does not prove the other works as expected.

Beginner is the official checkpoint mode and makes a sensible place to learn the group's rhythm. Read the save and checkpoints guide before depending on continuation, and use the player-count guide if you are deciding between a smaller group and a full four-player climb.