35 Co-op Open World Games

Open-world games are ones that many people love to play. But they also are ones that people like to play with friends. Here are 32 that can do that for you.

#35 Palworld

Platform: PC Xbox One XSX|S
Release Date: January 19, 2024 (early access)

Steam | Xbox

Ah, the open-world games are known for their excellence…

Well, not really; many of them are quite barren and boring, so you need something to make it worth playing another, right? That’s where Palworld comes in. This world is filled with various creatures to capture and have fun with. Or put them to work endlessly so you don’t have to raise a finger.

Just as important, you can ride around on these “Pals” so you can reach new parts of the world. You never know what might be around that next corner or within a cave, so make sure you have the right Pals to protect you!

#34 Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: December 7, 2023

Epic | PlayStation | Xbox

We all know that Ubisoft loves making open-world games. Seriously, they can’t get enough of it, and pretty much all of their franchises have open-world elements in one form or another. But in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, they might just be taking it to the next level.

First and foremost, yes, you are on the same Pandora as the two James Cameron movies. But just as important, you’re in a section of Pandora that the films haven’t touched. You’ll meet an entirely new Na’vi tribe and get to explore their world while helping them fight off the humans who captured you and are trying to invade.

There’s plenty to see, so don’t be afraid to venture far and wide!

#33 Sons Of The Forest

Platform: PC
Release Date: February 23, 2023

Steam

What could be better than going to an island paradise? Well, nothing if that’s actually where you’re going. But in Sons Of The Forest, “paradise” isn’t the word you will be using for the place you’re in.

When a mission to find a billionaire goes wrong, you’ll have to wander the island and get resources to survive and fight off monsters that come your way.

You can explore the entire island from the start, opening up many options for you and choices on how to survive. Plus, the longer you play the game, the more the seasons will change. So how will you adapt to what the island throws at you?

#32 Minecraft

Yep, we’re starting with Minecraft because it’s a game that many of you like to play together so you can have fun with friends.

It’s true that you can easily play the game on your own, but with friends, you can work together to make even grander constructions or tackle something like Survival Mode together and see how long you can last as a team.

It’s not as deep a co-op experience as some of the other games on this list, but it doesn’t need to be! It needs to be a game you can have a lot of fun in, and you’ll definitely be able to have that.

#31 DayZ

DayZ is one of many games on this list that’ll have you defying the odds in a zombie-infested world. The twist is that survival is the only thing that matters here.

There aren’t any leaderboards to climb or quests to complete to get better stuff. Instead, you’ll be put in the massive area known as Chernarus. Within the massive space are plenty of players and plenty of zombies.

Even when you play with friends, the odds aren’t going to be with you. So you’ll need to think smart and keep ahead of the danger if you want to survive. Plus, you never know if the next human you’re going to meet will be the one that kills you.

#30 Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is the sequel to the game that many people still have lots of thoughts on. Ubisoft didn’t rest on its laurels, though, and instead gave gamers a new experience in a new location.

The sequel takes you to Washington, D.C. There, a group of insurgents is trying to overthrow the government, and you have been activated to try and stop them and the other groups vying for power.

In this version of D.C., you’ll have to have your head on a swivel to take on the threats everywhere. Work with your Division partners to find supplies and remove enemy combatants.

#29 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

The Monster Hunter franchise has taken many forms over the years, but when Capcom decided to make it more “kid-friendly,” they made Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. Of course, they also made its predecessor, but we’re not focusing on that one here.

The story takes place decades after the original when a prophecy appears to come to life when a Rathalos is born with incredible power. Unfortunately, other monsters are acting out, and many fear it’s the end times.

You’ll need to convince them there’s another cause as you collect monsters and use them in battles against various enemies. Team up with friends to help your odds in those battles!

#28 Raft

Sometimes a co-op game comes along that forces you to work together or else you won’t survive. Raft is one such title.

The purpose of the game is simple. You and your partner are trapped on a small raft in the middle of the ocean. You’ll need to work together to scavenge supplies, get food, and expand your raft. You’ll have little to start with, so don’t throw away anything, as it can be used for something else.

What will you do to enhance your chances of survival? Will you be able to be the team you need to get through the danger? Jump onto the raft and find out!

#27 Watch Dogs 2

Are you ready to join a hacker collective? If so, dive into Watch Dogs 2 because that’s exactly what you do!

You’re a hacker of some renown who heads to San Francisco to join the group called DedSec. When you do, you’ll join their mission to take down a criminal organization that is trying to use an app to corrupt and control the population!

Use your hacking skill in various ways to ensure you complete tasks and help the collective. For example, work with your co-op partner on the tougher tasks so you can breeze through them and come out on top! Remember, you’re doing this for the people.

#26 Far Cry 6

There are many entries in this franchise that we could’ve put here, but we’re doing the most recent one in Far Cry 6.

You are a freedom fighter trying to save their home nation of Yara from the vile dictator that runs it. The man is ruthless and desires nothing more than for his son to take his place and continue their legacy. Now in the resistance, you must stop that at all costs.

The game lets you take on missions solo or in co-op pairs to help overcome the opposition. Use various weapons and help cripple the regime wherever possible.

#25 Dying Light Series

The Dying Light Series is two games strong, and the co-op is strong within them. You’ll play as two different protagonists across the two titles and be in two cities overrun with zombies.

Your goal is to not only survive but influence the cities you’re in. People are scheming and vying for power, even with the zombies lurking outside your door. Your choices within the main missions will determine what faction comes out on top and what the state of the city is when you’re done.

The good news is you don’t have to fight the zombies if you don’t want to! Parkour around them, and you’ll never need to fight for your life against them.

#24 Tom Clancy Ghost Recon Breakpoint

Here is a city that has put on many hats over the years, but with Tom Clancy Ghost Recon Breakpoint, you’ll face one of the deadliest challenges the franchise has ever offered you. Set within an island archipelago, a Silicon Valley giant has given itself a foothold in the area. They’ve littered it with their technology for purposes all their own.

But then, former ghosts known as The Wolves took it over, and now you must fight your brothers to bring peace back to the world.

Fight through an open world that’ll challenge you in various ways. Fight off soldiers and a drone army that can come from anywhere.

#23 Rust

 There are a few games on the list where the only goal is survival. Rust is one of them. You’ll be dropped on an island, and from that moment on, you must outlast your foes.

Who are your foes? Everything else on the island. You might come across some wildlife that wants to kill you, or you’ll run into other players who have no issue trying to put you down.

Either way, you’ll need to arm yourself with whatever you can find to kill them before they kill you. The game has been going on for years and has received many updates. The title is complete in all the ways that matter, and all you have to ask yourself is whether you’ll be able to survive.

#22 Dead Island

Here’s another zombie title for you, and it’s yet another one you can co-op with a friend.

In Dead Island, you’ll be on an island, shocker. But the island goes from a nice resort to a zombie-infested place in no time flat. So with that in mind, you must get off the island in one piece and dispatch all the zombies that come your way. Good luck with that!

Take on the zombie hordes with whatever weapons you can find. Whether it’s a bat, a gun, or something in between, use whatever is there and survive. That’s the only way you’ll get away from the island.

#21 Assassin’s Creed Unity

The beloved assassin games from Ubisoft have often had co-op in their titles, but it was Assassin’s Creed Unity that put a focus on co-op for better and for worse.

The game was set during the French Revolution, and you could play with up to three other players to traverse the buildings of France to get to your targets and complete missions. Working with an assassin team was fun, as it enforced the notions of the Brotherhood.

Sadly, the game wasn’t what you would call a “seamless experience.” They did fix things over time and tried to improve it further in future games, but many will remember what this game tried and failed to do.

#20 The Ascent

In a Cyberpunk future, corporations have such power that they can enslave people to become part of their security force. You are one of those “workers” as you are “contracted” by The Ascent Group.

Everything is under their control. That is, until one day, the company that owns you suddenly shuts down. With no reason for the shutdown, the district is plunged into chaos, and you must figure out what’s happening.

Work with your co-op partner to work your way through the district to get the answers you seek. All the while upgrading your abilities to take down foes that come your way.

#19 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands

Here’s another entry in a franchise we talked about earlier. In Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, you’ll be set in a future where a drug cartel has taken over the country of Bolivia.

As a result, the Ghosts are sent to right the ship and give the country back to the people. In addition, you’ll get to fully customize your character and choose the loadouts you’ll wield for each mission.

Then, take on the nation’s landscapes and find the best ways to stick it to the cartels. It’ll be even easier to get the job done with a co-op partner.

#18 Divinity: Original Sin II

RPGs aren’t typically ones with co-op elements, but Divinity: Original Sin II is the exception to that rule, and it’s a pretty great exception.

You’ll have total control over who you are and what you do from the get-go. You can be a human, elf, undead skeleton, and more! Choose the class you want to be, then set off on a massive adventure full of turn-based combat and co-op fun.

You and your friends can drop in and drop out of each other’s parties at the drop of a hat. So help each other when you can and see how you’ll affect the world.

#17 Valheim

Are you ready to start a new life in a strange land? In Valheim, you and potentially nine other players will find yourselves in a land full of wonder and danger. You’ll start by building a new home for yourself, then expand your reach to see what the place offers.

But be warned, many creatures out there won’t hesitate to fight and kill you. So use the crafting system to make powerful weapons that’ll even the odds against those foes!

Make a new life for yourself and revel in your constructions as you show that nothing can get in your way.

#16 Borderlands Series

Guess what? Even with a co-op partner at your beck and call, there ain’t no rest for the wicked!

The Borderlands Series puts you on the planet of Pandora and beyond and dares you to overcome the insanity around you. You’ll roam around the world looking for vaults, trying to get treasure, taking out punks left and right, etc.

Along the way, you’ll get millions upon millions of weapons that you’ll wield with deadly precision and gleefully use to take out enemies. Seriously, there are a lot of weapons in these games.

So what are you waiting for? Load up and get going!

#15 Don’t Starve Together

Here’s a video game franchise that loves to put the screws to players and force them to survive no matter what.

But in Don’t Starve Together, you will have a little help this time. You’ll once again be put in a strange land that requires you to survive in it. But the twist is that you’ll have a partner, or a few people, to share the load. Unfortunately, that also means that everyone is in danger from the threats that lurk outside your view.

Team up and tackle problems one at a time so that you can overcome them! Will you be able to survive together?

#14 Terraria

Terraria is an excellent example of giving players an open world and then letting them do with it as they please. That includes whether they have fun in the game on their own or with a friend.

Once you drop into the procedurally-generated world, you’ll have free reign over what you do next. For example, since you have a co-op partner with you, you might decide to go on adventures and fight the creatures of the land.

Or you and your partner might want to build a city and start collecting the necessary materials. Each new world you start with offers something fresh and new. So jump in and see what yours is like!

#13 Ghost of Tsushima: Legends

The original Ghost of Tsushima is hailed as one of the greatest games ever made. But it’s not one made for co-op. That’s where the Legends modes come in.

Through them, you’ll be able to team up with a partner, choose your classes, and then take on hordes of enemies in many formats. You can be a Samurai, a Ronin, a Hunter, or an Archer, each with its own unique abilities to help you fight the approaching danger.

You can choose to take on a story campaign together too. That way, no one is left out of the engaging experience the full game offers.

#12 Forza Horizon 5

Not all co-op games that have open worlds need to be about action 100% of the time! So instead, here we have a game about racing and enjoying all that comes with it!

In Forza Horizon 5, you and your racing party will get to venture across a recreation of Mexico. You’ll have complete autonomy on where you go and what you do. Will you race your friends across the landscapes to see how fast you can go?

Or will you blast across the beach to see what fun you can stir up? Pick the vehicle you want to drive and be off!

#11 Ark: Survival Evolved

Welcome to a world where everything is trying to kill you, and you must do whatever it takes to survive. This is the world of Ark: Survival Evolved.

You’ll be washed up on the island known as Ark with nothing on you, not even clothes. With that in mind, you’ll head out into the wild and find what you need to survive. Start with the basics, then slowly expand your tech tree so you can wield things like guns and futuristic weapons!

Team up with others so that you have a better chance at survival and have allies when dangerous dinosaurs or enemy players discover where you are!

#10 No Man’s Sky

One of the ironies about No Man’s Sky is that they initially promised that multiplayer would be available at launch. But that wasn’t the case at all. Instead, Hello Games launched a product short on quite a few promises they made.

However, there is good news, the title did improve over the years, and as a result, the game has co-op for you to enjoy.

With your friends by your side, you’ll explore a massive universe filled with planets to traverse. Walk upon the lands or soar above them in your ship! Either way, the universe is out there and waiting to be explored.

#9 Warframe

Here’s a free-to-play title that you’ll enjoy along with millions of other players. Warframe puts you in the role of a living war suit powered by an ancient race of beings that, well, let’s dive too much into it. Trust us; the story gets pretty crazy.

The point here is that you’ll get to embody an exosuit known as a Warframe, and each one has unique abilities. Then, after you pick the one that’s right for you, you’ll head out into the galaxy to protect it from many evils.

Team up with friends and let your Warframes do the talking for you. With over 50 to choose from and hundreds of weapons to equip, you’ll never be wanting for content.

#8 Destiny 2

Bungie did their best with Destiny 2 to make it a title that would improve everything the first game offered. That included expanding the co-op and multiplayer play so you could take on things easier with friends.

They did accomplish much of what they intended to do. Even now, with the game slowly heading to the end of its post-launch content, fans are still engrossed in the worlds they can have fun in. Whether it’s taking on raids or traversing the landscapes on fast vehicles, there’s a lot to do.

So why not take a trip across some worlds with a friend?

#7 7 Days to Die

There’s a good reason why you’ll want to do co-op in 7 Days to Die. That’s because you can bet someone else will and use it against you if you don’t. The title is an open-world game that is so huge that over 14 million people have played it in its lifetime.

You’ll be dropped in the middle of a wide area and be told to survive. But can you? That’s what you need to find out. Work alone or with friends to get supplies, build shelters, and take out any threats you may face.

Remember, the other players can be as big a threat as the zombies.

#6 Sea of Thieves

When Rare announced Sea of Thieves, people weren’t sure what to expect. But once it made its way to their shores, people understood what a special title they were getting.

You’ll create a pirate persona and then sail with friends and allies across the sea to seek adventure, treasure, and glory! If you want, you can island hop from one spot to the next to see what each island has in store for you.

Or you can get the best crew possible and fight other players in high-seas battles to determine who the best pirate amongst you is! The choice be yours, landlubber.

#5 Grand Theft Auto V

One of the best-selling games of all time; it’s no surprise that Grand Theft Auto V ends up high on the list. The game sold so well that Rockstar didn’t start working on the 6th mainline title until well into the game’s lifetime.

You and your friends will find yourselves in Los Santos. You’ll portray three characters who are trying to get by in a city that is trying to crush them. It’s time to fight back, and having a co-op partner will help with that.

Traverse the streets and do what needs to be done to secure your standing. Getting violent is just part of the job.

#4 Saints Row 4

Saints Row 4 deserves to be high on the list because it’s a title where you’ll have a lot of fun as you play co-op.

After The Boss of the Saints becomes the President of the United States, an alien invasion wrecks everything. Not only that, but the President, many of the Saints, and a large part of the population are taken by these aliens and stuffed into a virtual world.

You must break out all the Saints and stick it to the aliens, and what better way to do that than with co-op destruction? Plus, you get superpowers to unleash untold amounts of destruction on your enemies.

#3 The Elder Scrolls Online

We don’t have too many MMORPGs on this list, but with The Elder Scrolls Online, we wanted to make an exception because it fits the mold of the list, which is important.

The team at Zenimax has been spending years refining and growing the content you can enjoy throughout this world. The main lands of the mainline titles are all here, which means you’ll have plenty of places to roam alone and with friends.

Go on raids, take on giant monsters, and see if you can come out on top every time. Build the character you want to be and then take them on an adventure with friends.

#2 Grand Theft Auto Online

We felt it was essential to separate the main game from the online game because they’re two different entities if you’re paying attention.

Whereas the main game is one rooted in plot and three main characters, Grand Theft Auto Online puts you in a new spot in life where you’re trying to create a criminal enterprise. That’s where the co-op comes in because with your allies by your side, you can complete missions to build up said enterprise.

The ever-growing amount of updates and content allows you to do all sorts of things to get ahead and never be bored. So hop in with your friends and see how big you can make your empire grow.

#1 Elden Ring

It’s only fair that the title give the prestigious honor of “Game Of The Year” recently would be at the top of our list!

Elden Ring was a grand collaboration between From Software and George R.R. Martin. The world that they crafted was one that many are still enjoying almost a year later, and whether they’re doing it alone or with friends, there’s much to do.

Many love doing the co-op because it allows them to take on some of the harder bosses without having to worry about getting mowed over. Sometimes, it’s good to have someone at your side as you travel the vast world.