Shack Chat: What game franchise would be better with co-op?

Nothing beats a solid co-op session with your friends, but not all games allow players to experience this feature. With Split Fiction out and fans all over diving in, we got to wondering which games might benefit from a co-op mode. The answers are all over the board, so sit back, relax, and enjoy our unique takes. When you're done, weigh in with your own opinion in the Chatty thread found below.

Question: What game franchise would be better with co-op?

Marvel's Spider-Man - Ozzie Mejia, Senior Web Slinger

PlayStation and Insomniac Games have teamed up to introduce two of the greatest superhero games ever made. All that's left is a third game to cap everything off, but how could a series like this get any better? The answer is to truly take advantage of a world with two Spider-Men and allow two friends to join forces simultaneously. Let Peter and Miles swing around the city at the same time with two humans at the helm. Insomniac's sequel lightly touched on this idea, allowing players to control one Spidey while the other one patrols remotely and occasionally joins in to stop crimes in progress. I'd personally love to see what Insomniac could put together knowing that two Spideys could join up to be better together.

Dishonored - TJ Denzer, Wanted a Corvo/Emily tag-team heist

I love Arkane Studios, and I especially love the Dishonored games that were my introduction to them. I know the Dishonored games have kind of had their day in the sun, that story’s done, and there’s not much left to say. That said, there’s one opportunity I wish those games had explored, particularly Dishonored 2: co-op. 

In Dishonored 2, you have the opportunity to play as Corvo or Emily Kaldwin in most situations. Certainly there was a story to be told that dictated which character was available or the sanctity of the stealth action experience, but given the tech we have today, I think co-op might have been fun. Corvo and Emily have very different powers and abilities from each other that makes them fun and unique to play in their own right. I think if that could have been applied to tandem missions, it could have been quite the experience. 

I love Dishonored 2 and very much enjoy the story and gameplay of the entire franchise, but if that series ever comes back for any reason, I hope they go deeper into the waters they dipped their toes in with sandbox multiplayer in Deathloop.

Monster Hunter - Asif Khan, CEO/EIC/EIEIO/Played Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on Wii U

I know the Monster Hunter franchise sort of features co-op multiplayer gameplay, but let’s be honest. The Monster Hunter multiplayer experience leaves a lot to be desired in 2025. A proper cooperative campaign system would be a great addition to the franchise. Please, Capcom. Do the needful.

Stalker 2 - Bill Lavoy, EIC of Epic Loot

Rather than browse Google for an endless list of games and pick one, I opened my Steam library. Immediately, Stalker 2 jumped out at me as a game I’d love to try in a co-op setting. While I adore the Zone even in singleplayer, the barrier of entry for my friends trying the games I play is often whether I can carry them. When Blackfrost: The Long Dark 2 was announced, I had no less than three people telling me that I was going to be hard carrying them. Stalker 2 is in the same boat. 

Now, we already know that there is some type of multiplayer update coming to Stalker 2. I have no idea what that is going to look like, but I’m quietly hoping it's co-op. If it’s not, I’ll still be in the Zone crying in the corner of a shed waiting for the night to pass.

GTA - Sam Chandler, Bonnie and Clyde

Look, I don’t necessarily know if Grand Theft Auto would be “better” with co-op, because this series is damn near perfect anyway, but I would love to experience the story co-op with my wife. This is especially true of GTA 6, which looks to have two protagonists (based on the announcement image and trailer). We could have a real Bonnie and Clyde situation, with both players necessary for various heists, working together to make it in the criminal underground, and otherwise tussling with the law. Even if GTA never has a co-op, I know I’ll be spending hundreds of hours in its inevitable Online mode.

Alan Wake - Dennis White Jr., Creepy Mystery-solving, hold my flashlight!

I love a good horror experience, but I also really enjoy the detective work and immersion created in a game like Alan Wake 2. I would love to see if the sort of experience that worked so well in that game could be expanded with another Wake & Detective team taking on a mystery in a brand new game. This would also be a great opportunity to bring back Saga, played by our 2023 Shacknews best Voice Actor Winner Melanie Liburd.

There’s enough ways to create scenarios that would allow a mix of both characters being in a scene together as well as moments where they are in different areas but speaking to each other over the radio in real time too. I’d love to hear my partner whispering to me in the woods while I investigate something on the other side of a creepy cabin down the road. There could even be elements of each side choosing a route to take when together and there being different scenarios or reactions for each choice. I also think there’s ways to incorporate The Mind Place so that you can leave clues for your partner through potential dialogue choices that unlock new paths to understanding as you both progress. That kind of dynamic with the right level of creepiness and mystery would make me want to dive right in with a friend and then scream a few hours later that I wish I hadn’t. 

Pokemon - Donovan Erskine, Pokemon Master

Pokemon has dipped its toes into cooperative gameplay in several games: Sun and Moon’s Battle Tree, the underground in Diamond in Pearl, and Mystery Dungeon’s rescue feature all pop out as notable examples. However, a Pokemon game is yet to truly allowed to go on a journey alongside a friend. Scarlet and Violet’s limited free roam was close, but it’s still not what I’m looking for. I want to choose my starter alongside a friend, battle a gym and then watch them take it on, battle them occasionally throughout our shared journey. I want to essentially take the “rival” character and substitute it for another player.

Mario Kart - Steve Tyminski, Speed is the name of the game!

Hear me out on this one. In this instance, I’m going to go more with the multiplayer aspect instead of the co-op aspect. I think it would be interesting to see Mario Kart with some new features. With the rumors of Mario Kart 9 having pit stops, you could have one player be the driver of a team and then have other people be in the pit. It could be like a real pit crew where the crew chief keeps an eye on gas and other equipment during the race. They could also keep an eye on other drivers and if they are throwing things. It could be like a rearview mirror without the mirror. Also you could have the option to switch drivers mid race if you wanted. Maybe the crew chief knows the course better or drifts better and the team needs to get back in the race. I don’t like the idea of pit stops in the new Mario Kart and hope they’re just rumors. If they happen to be real, here are some interesting ways to make them multiplayer.

There you have it. What did we get right? What did we get wrong? What's your pick for a franchise that could use an injection of co-op?

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.