While Halo 5 Guardians doesn’t have splitscreen functionality built in, there is now a new way to play local multiplayer. If you want to play the game with some friends on the couch, just like the good old days, this may be the solution for you. The Skreens box, a new device that allows players to plug in multiple consoles and devices, will let up to four Xbox One consoles run on the same TV, effectively letting players run local splitscreen multiplayer. The box allows for 1080p 60 FPS compositing, with under 10 milliseconds of input lag, allowing for fast, seamless play.
The video below shows the box in action. Billed on Kickstarter as a way to “seamlessly combine multiple HDMI signals into one high definition output — with absolutely no lag”, the device takes PlayStation 4, Chromecast, Roku, GoPro, and any other HDMI source. Up to four sources can be combined in various ways on one TV. Skreens TV Founder Marc Todd discusses how the box works in the video. He says hardware scaling is achieved by use of an algorithm that determines where pixels are put as they are moved around the screen. The algorithm makes sure they are scaled correctly so that a 1080p, 60 FPS feed can be maintained.
Todd describes the box as a good fit for streamers, so they can manage multiple feeds at once. It is also a good fit for regular gamers. He uses the example of having two consoles, a live TV broadcast of a football game, and their Twitter feed all on the same TV. With a 4K display, the end result could be even better.
The Skreens box has had a successful Kickstarer campaign so far, raising almost $400,000 from over a thousand backers. The initiative has far exceeded its original goal of $25,000. If you would like a box for yourself, there are four days left in the campaign.
Whether you want to play Halo 5 Guardians with friends at home or online, you can now. Despite some launch issues, the game released yesterday for Xbox One.
