Top Upcoming Co-Op Video Games of 2018

Note: This article was updated in August of 2018.

2018 is quickly approaching and with it will come a slew of new video game titles to look forward to playing. With that said, now’s a good time to start marking down what video games to keep an eye on when they officially launch next year. Let us lend a hand, in this list, in particular, we’re going over the top co-op video games launching in 2018.

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State of Decay 2

Developer: Undead Labs
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Platforms: PC, XB1
Release: May 22, 2018

State of Decay 2 is a zombie-survival game that lets players have their own unique story. While battling zombies is very much a key aspect of the upcoming title release, players are encouraged to work together in setting up their own community that’s able to successfully take out the undead threat.

While the game may not have been the biggest success for fans of the first installment this is still a game well worth trying with a friend especially if you are an Xbox Game Pass subscriber which the game will be available for free.

Dauntless

Developer: Phoenix Labs
Publisher: Phoenix Labs
Platforms: PC
Release: 2018

If you’re looking for a free-to-play MMORPG experience then Dauntless from developers Phoenix Labs may be well worth looking into. This is an upcoming fantasy-based video game which features players becoming Slayers who are tasked in taking down Behemoths around the world.

With the game being a free-to-play online title, players can choose to enjoy a cooperative gameplay experience with friends or they can go through the video game narrative by themselves as a single player video game.

Overkill’s The Walking Dead

Developer: Overkill Software
Publisher: Starbreeze Studios, 505 Games
Platforms: PC, PS4, XB1
Release: November 6m 2018

The Walking Dead is an upcoming first-person co-op shooter based on The Walking Dead comic book series. Players will have to survive together in a world that has been dominated by mindless flesh-eating walkers.

Developers have worked closed with Robert Kirkman, the creator of the iconic franchise and it seems that we’re going to finally get a chance to enjoy this game towards the end of this year. So far the game looks quite a bit like the Left 4 Dead series where four players can join together and fight off the undead.

A Way Out

Developer: Hazelight Studios
Publisher: EA Originals
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: March 23, 2018

A Way Out is an upcoming action-adventure journey from Hazelight Studios. This will be the second video game to be directed by Josef Fares who you may be familiar with from his previous title, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.

This is a unique action-adventure video game as it will require two players with the display being split-screen regardless of playing the video game locally or through online. All-in-all, the narrative is based around two inmates who must survive and escape a prison. Their stories will be told simultaneously and while one character may be in a cutscene, the other will be able to freely move and execute their tasks.

Monster Hunter: World

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release: January 26, 2018
Platforms: PS4, XBO, PC

The Monster Hunter franchise is consistently growing and with each new installment a number of new gamers explore the monster filled worlds development studio Capcom has crafted. Monster Hunter: World will mark as the fifth main installment to the franchise and as you can expect, there will be a number of notable updates.

For instance, Capcom has placed larger maps, a more seamless experience between zones and what’s a Monster Hunter video game without the ability to hunt with friends? Outside of the offline campaign, the game will allow a four-player online co-op opportunity.

Ashen

Developer: Aurora44
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Platforms: PC, XBO
Release: 2018

Ashen is an upcoming action RPG title that follows players into a world that is full of hostile enemies and gloom. Little information has been released about the game so far, but what we do know is that players can opt to work together in hopes for a greater chance of survival.

Within the world, players may cross paths and can then team up in a means to increase the skill set and crafting abilities. Strength in numbers seems to be key for survival in Ashen which has a wide variety of creatures and hostile environments that lurk around the corners of this decayed world.

Deep Rock Galactic

Developer: Ghost Ship Games
Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
Platforms: PC, XBO
Release: February 28, 2018 (Early Access)

Seeking to create a thrilling co-op experience, developers Ghost Ship Games is developing a title known as Deep Rock Galactic. This is currently an Early Access title that can be purchased today, though you can expect some changes and bugs until the final release launches.

Within the game, players are tasked with working together in digging into the underground as they collect valuable resources through cave systems. Caves are procedurally generated with enemies and loot to collect making it a new adventure every time you start. Currently, the game offers four-player cooperative gameplay which you can try out today.

Strange Brigade

Developer: Rebellion Developments
Publisher: Rebellion Developments
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: 2018

Rebellion Developments has been around for over twenty years and has launched a number of video game titles such as the Sniper Elite series. However, their latest work is Strange Brigade an upcoming cooperative third-person shooter filled with both puzzles and survival horror elements.

What we know so far is that this is a video game based in the 1930s, where the British Empire has established a fearless group known as the Strange Brigade. Players are then tasked with seeking out the strange and supernatural areas to uncover what lies within.

World War Z

Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Saber Interactive
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: 2018

World War Z became a hit novel when it released and since then the story was adapted loosely into a blockbuster film. Now that story is moving into the video game industry with a title being developed under Saber Interactive.

We’re still waiting to hear more information about the game, but from what we can tell so far, the video game may be aimed more towards the novel than the film. Players will be going across the world in different regions as they partake in survival stories against the zombie pandemic.

Furthermore, the game will feature four player co-op which means you and your friends can blast through the undead. There seems to be a massive amount of undead coming at players so you may not get the same vibe and feel as Left 4 Dead though, at the same time, the reveal trailer does show players unloading assault weapons into the horde rather than rushing to safety.

Sea of Thieves

Developer: Rare
Publisher: Microsoft
Platforms: PC, XBO
Release: March 20, 2018

Sea of Thieves is an action-adventure title that is centered around pirates. Players will take to the open seas with their cooperative crew as they search for hidden treasure and taking out other pirate crews that show up along the way.

This is an MMO game where players will consistently run into each other throughout their various adventures. Combat will take place both in ships and on land as well, giving players the full pirate experience.

Players will also be able to attend safe-zones where they can trade, hire on new crew or even dabble into the black market goods.

Far Cry 5

Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: March 27, 2018

Within the narrative, Far Cry 5 pins players against Joseph Seed, a leader of a cult who has forced his way into controlling Hope County. As more innocent civilians become trapped and forced into submission under Joseph Seed’s rule, only a handful of resistance stands between Seed and his reign.

Just as before, players can expect the title to deliver as a first-person shooter in an open world environment to explore either on foot or through vehicles. However, the campaign can be experienced both as singleplayer experience or through cooperative multiplayer.

Likewise, the game will include a map editor where players will be able to build maps with objectives to complete for when gamers finish the main campaign.

Mothergunship

Developer: Grip Digital, Terrible Posture Games
Publisher: Grip Digital
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: 2018

Within Mothergunship, players are part of a global resistance group that will fight against an advanced alien species from controlling the Earth. Players can join together in a co-op experience in this FPS bullet hell video game. Within Mothergunship, players will craft their own unique guns to fight against monstrous enemy ships and machines all while avoiding the bullets being sprayed your way.

Divinity: Original Sin 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A_PEIkZ0O8

Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: August 31, 2018 (PS4, XBO)

Divinity: Original Sin 2 takes place after the first installment. During a time of wars and religious persecution, Bishop Alexandar the Innocent declares all Sorcerers to be criminals. Now a group of four Sorcerers embark on a journey to defeat the Bishop. Players can join together in a party as well making the journey cooperative.

The game did originally release on the PC platform back in 2017 where it was a massive hit from both critics and fans alike. Now Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners will get the chance to go through the game towards the end of August.

Kirby Star Allies

Developers: HAL Laboratory
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: NS
Release: March 16, 2018

Much like our Yoshi pick in this list, Kirby is another fan-beloved character from Nintendo who has starred in his own video game titles for a number of years now.

Kirby Star Allies will have players taking the role of Kirby with the ability to throw stars at enemies to essentially turn them into Kirby’s allies as the big component this time around. Outside of that, you can still expect the same traditional move set from past Kirby titles such as inhale, star spit, slide attack, air-gun, among others.

When it comes to the story players will have to take control of Kirby as he embarks on a journey to rid a curse that has spread across the world, possessing all of our favorite cast of characters.

Fallout 76

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: November 14, 2018

Fallout 76 is the latest upcoming installment to the Fallout franchise though it will be a bit different in comparison to past main installments. Bethesda has developed Fallout 76 to be an online multiplayer title that takes place before previous Fallout games.

Within the game, players take on a member from Vault 76 where their goal is to help rebuild the wasteland, twenty-five years after the nuclear war. While this is still an action RPG, the gameplay is centered on building up and maintaining settlements.

For instance, when players have managed to build up a base, they will have to defend it from the mutated monsters both old and new along with other hostile players. Luckily it seems that Bethesda has incorporated a feature that will save player creations when they are offline so you won’t have to start completely over.

Because this is an online game, players can join up together and manage their settlement. Unfortunately, parties can only go up to three players but the option to play with a friend or two is in the game. Since this is an online survival sort of title you’ll likely want the help and aid of a friend to begin with though there will be local area voice chat options so you can always meet other players as well if you’re flying solo.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooyjaVdt-jA

Developer: Treyarch
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: October 12, 2018

There seems to never be any shortages when it comes to the Call of Duty franchise and this year we’re getting a new installment to the Black Ops line. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be launching in October of this year though there is one rather major element being completely dropped with this upcoming installment.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will not contain a campaign mode. In the day and age of battle royale modes being incredibly popular, Treyarch has decided to make this next call of the Duty title to feature nothing but a multiplayer component.

The focus will be doubling down on the multiplayer game modes including Zombies. So if you’re a fan of Call of Duty for their online multiplayer matches then you have nothing to worry about in this installment but with that said, if you picked up the latest installments to enjoy the action-packed campaigns then you may have to hold out for the 2019 installment release.

One of the areas that we think will get plenty of cooperative gameplay action is in the Zombies mode. This has always been a popular mode for Call of Duty fans and the upcoming installment will have a few maps to go through. Depending on the map, you may find yourself battling zombies set in the Roman times, on the RMS Titanic or even within the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.

Developers are also really putting an effort in expanding the experience players have within the Zombies mode such tweaking the mystery box weapon outcomes and adding in new easter eggs for players to uncover.

Overcooked 2

Developer: Ghost Town Games
Publisher: Team17
Platforms: NS, PS4, XBO, PC

Overcooked 2 is a cooking simulator type video game where players take on the role of a chef who must prepare a variety of meals within the time limit. However, the game is filled with obstacles and hazards forcing players to quickly work together in order to send out the desired meal recipes that come up.

The gameplay is very much the same as the first Overcooked installment but just with new themes, costumes and recipes to create. If you’re looking for a fun wacky game to enjoy that features cooperative gameplay and suitable for a younger audience then you won’t go wrong with Overcooked 2.