For two people at one PC, first decide whether you want simultaneous control or turn-taking. Connecting two keyboards or opening a game with an online co-op label does not establish a local two-player setup. Look for the game’s explicit input instructions.
Two useful choices with different input behavior
| Game and PC scope | Documented option | Best reason to investigate |
|---|---|---|
| Overcooked! 2 | Team17 documents splitting one keyboard between two local players. | You want two people playing at once without first buying a second input device. |
| Ultimate Chicken Horse | Clever Endeavour documents Shared Controller mode with one keyboard or controller, taking turns. | Your group accepts sequential play on one device; it is not simultaneous shared-keyboard control. |
The distinction comes directly from Team17’s FAQ and Clever Endeavour’s input support page. Ultimate Chicken Horse’s official game page also describes local play for up to four players. Keep this version-specific: Overcooked! 2 is not interchangeable with the original Overcooked or All You Can Eat.
Check the input plan before the game night
Write down which device controls each player. In a split-keyboard arrangement, both people need comfortable access to their assigned keys. In a shared-controller arrangement, the handover is part of play. Two separate gamepads may be preferable for space or comfort, but their compatibility still needs confirmation for the chosen operating system and game.
Launch the local mode, identify the join prompt and confirm that each input operates the intended player. If both devices control player one, more connected hardware has not yet produced a usable second player. Use the publisher’s setup instructions before changing broad controller settings.
Accounts and progress are separate checks
- Does the local guest need a separate game or publisher account?
- Whose save contains the session’s progress?
- Can a guest continue later on another device?
- Are achievements or unlocked content shared, separate or limited for guests?
- Does the installed build require an initial account sign-in or download even when the mode itself is local?
These questions are not all answered by a “Local Co-op” store label. Where the publisher does not document the answer, ask before relying on a particular save arrangement. Do not buy a second copy solely because a controller setup has failed.
Remote Play Together is a different setup
Valve’s Remote Play Together page describes a host running a supported local multiplayer game while other players join through streaming. It can extend local games to people elsewhere, but adds a network and streaming path. It does not prove that an unsupported game gains local multiplayer, or that two people sitting at one PC need a remote session.
Choose from the input arrangement outward: one keyboard with simultaneous players, a shared device with turns, or individually supported controllers. Then match the game’s pace and theme to your group. That sequence avoids buying equipment for a mode the game never offered.
Continue your setup
Explore PC & Handheld Gaming for related choices.
Sources and method
Primary publisher and platform documentation checked November 2, 2026. Buying criteria and worked examples are editorial analysis. We have not performed hardware, gameplay, accessibility or download tests for this guide.
- Team17: Overcooked! 2 local players and split-keyboard support
- Clever Endeavour: Ultimate Chicken Horse shared keyboard is turn-taking
- Clever Endeavour: Ultimate Chicken Horse local play and Shared Controller mode
- Valve: Steam Remote Play Together requirements and streaming behavior
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