Fortnite: How to play split screen

Fortnite gained split screen functionality not too long ago, but many players haven’t had a reason to try it until recently. Here’s a quick reminder of how split screen works and who can use it.

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Fortnite splits the screen, but not for everyone

Split Screen is here!Play Duos and Squads with a friend on the same PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. pic.twitter.com/00sRUn94kH

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) December 21, 2019

The first step in playing Fortnite on the same screen with a buddy is playing on the right system. Split screen is currently only supported on PlayStastion and Xbox consoles, according to the Fortnite FAQ published by Epic Games. While players on phones were unlikely to want to share their screens anyway, PC and Switch players will have to wait until split screen functionality is extended to those other platforms.

The other limitation to split screen is that it is currently only available in either Duo or Squad game modes. Creative modes, LTMs, Save the World, and quite predictably Solos do not support split screen games at this time.

If you decide to play Fortnite seated next to your buddy, you’ll have to make sure you’re playing on one of the two supported consoles and playing in a game mode which supports it.

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Old innovation to new games

Goldeneye for the N64 🙌 Best 4 player ever? pic.twitter.com/g8T7FfdV8C

— Funstock (@FunStockGames) October 1, 2017

Perhaps I am showing my age a bit here, but I remember a time when split screen was the only way to play some games with your friends. At a certain point, however, it became more trouble than it was worth to develop split screen support for games, and knowing that your game would never need to render more than what a single screen sees allowed developers to push their games to the limit with graphics.

However, Fortnite is best enjoyed with friends, and some of those friends might live close enough to visit. Given that a significant population of Fortnite players are very young, split screen support can encourage these players to share the game rather than encouraging each other to play apart.

If console split screens end up becoming a beloved feature, PC and Switch players likely only need to wait until they too will have the feature. Until then, players on all systems can share the game online.