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Uncharted 4 will not support couch co-op at launch...

... but Naughty Dog may patch in support later.

David Craddock

May 4, 2016 12:50 PM

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When it releases next week, Uncharted 4 will become the first game in Naughty Dog's celebrated series to feature multiplayer modes. You'll have to play those modes online rather than with friends and family on your couch, though.

During a livestream event held on Twitch earlier today, Uncharted 4's lead designer, Robert Cogburn, opened up about the technical challenges of coding support for split-screen multiplayer. According to Cogburn, the feature was on the agenda, but got scrapped so the team could hit the projected May 10 release date rather than delay it yet again.

Though the developers didn't get into specifics, it stands to reason that the technical challenges to which they alluded may have to do with holding a steady frame rate. Naughty Dog has said that the single-player campaign will run at a steady 30 fps, and it wants to target 60 fps for multiplayer. Split-screen modes add more polygons, which would likely cause the game to dip below 60.

Cogburn didn't rule out the possibility of patching in split-screen modes, though. He and other developers at the studio are admitted fans of couch-based modes, and may revisit the idea at a later date.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.