If you spent any time exploring the neon-soaked, goop-covered landscapes of the first game, you know the vibes. It was weird. It was colorful. Most importantly, it was better with a friend. Now that Raccoon Logic is back with the sequel, everyone is asking the same exact thing: Revenge of the Savage Planet split screen support—is it actually happening this time?
Honestly, the lack of local multiplayer in the original Journey to the Savage Planet was a massive bummer for a lot of people. You had this perfect "couch co-op" energy, but you were tethered to an internet connection and two separate consoles if you wanted to play together. It felt like a missed opportunity for a game that didn't take itself seriously. With the sequel, the developers seem to have heard the shouting from the back of the room.
The Reality of Couch Co-op in the Sequel
Let's get right into the meat of it. Revenge of the Savage Planet split screen is officially on the table. Raccoon Logic, the indie studio formed by the original creators after the whole Google Stadia debacle, has confirmed that local couch co-op is a core feature of the new experience. This isn't just a "maybe" or a "we're looking into it." It's a fundamental shift in how they’re building the game.
Why does this matter? Because true split screen is dying.
Most AAA studios look at the performance cost of rendering a game twice on one screen and just... give up. They'd rather push the resolution or the frame rate for a single player than deal with the headache of optimization. But Revenge of the Savage Planet is leaning into its identity as a third-person, quirky exploration game where having your buddy sitting next to you actually adds to the chaos.
You've got a new perspective this time around, too. While the first game was a first-person shooter/explorer, the sequel moves to a third-person camera. This change alone makes split screen a lot more viable. It’s easier to keep track of your character and your partner when you aren't staring through a narrow FOV.
Why the Third-Person Shift Changes Everything
When you're playing first-person split screen, the screen real estate gets cramped fast. It’s claustrophobic. By moving to third-person, Raccoon Logic gives you a better sense of scale. You can see your customized, goofy-looking explorer jumping around the environment. It feels more like a classic platformer or an action-adventure game from the PS2 era, but with modern bells and whistles.
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It’s also about the "cross-play" of it all. The developers have mentioned that they want the game to feel accessible. Having someone jump in on the same console is the ultimate form of accessibility. No subscriptions. No lag. Just two controllers and a shared bag of chips.
Technical Hurdles and What to Expect
Don't expect it to be perfect on day one. Split screen is a resource hog. Basically, the console has to do double the work. It has to calculate physics for two different players in two different locations, render two different views, and keep the frame rate stable enough that you don't get a headache.
In the first game, the world was somewhat contained, but the sequel promises more "open-ish" environments. This creates a challenge. If Player 1 is at the top of a mountain and Player 2 is deep in a cave, the engine has to keep both of those areas loaded. Most indie games struggle with this. However, since Raccoon Logic is made up of industry veterans who worked on Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed, they have a pretty solid grasp on how to handle world-streaming.
- Dynamic Resolution: Expect the resolution to dip when you're playing together. That's just the trade-off.
- Locked Frame Rates: While the single-player mode might target 60fps, don't be shocked if the Revenge of the Savage Planet split screen mode stays at a solid 30fps to keep things consistent.
- UI Scaling: One of the biggest complaints in modern split screen is that the text becomes unreadable. Hopefully, they include a toggle for larger UI elements.
Looking Back at the Stadia Drama
You can't really talk about this game without mentioning how we got here. The original game was caught in the crossfire when Google decided to shut down its internal game studios. Typhoon Studios (the original team) was essentially left in limbo. But they didn't just disappear. They bought back their independence, rebranded as Raccoon Logic, and got the rights to their IP.
This independence is why we're getting features like split screen. When you're owned by a giant corporation, you follow the data. Data usually says "people play online." When you're an independent studio, you listen to the fans. The fans said they wanted to play on the couch.
It's a rare "win" in an industry that feels increasingly corporate and disconnected from what players actually find fun.
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Gameplay Mechanics That Feed Into Co-op
The game isn't just a carbon copy of the first one with a new camera angle. It’s much more focused on "metroidvania" style progression. You find a tool, that tool lets you reach a new area, and you repeat. In co-op, this becomes a puzzle-solving exercise. Maybe one player needs to distract a weird, bird-like creature while the other player sneaks behind it to grab a resource.
The humor is still there, too. Expect more satirical corporate videos from Kindred Aerospace—the "4th best interstellar exploration company." Playing with a friend means you have someone to laugh with when the game inevitably mocks your lack of skill or your willingness to pay for "premium" oxygen.
Is It Cross-Gen?
That’s the big question for people who haven't upgraded to the latest hardware yet. While the developers are targeting PC and current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S), split screen on older hardware like the Xbox One or PS4 is a huge "maybe." Honestly, it’s unlikely. The CPU power required to run two instances of the game world on those old machines just isn't there. If you want the full Revenge of the Savage Planet split screen experience, you’ll probably need to be on modern hardware.
How to Prepare Your Setup
If you're planning on diving into this with a partner, there are a few things to consider. First, screen size matters more than ever. Split screen on a 32-inch monitor is a nightmare. You’re going to want a decent-sized TV so you aren't squinting at the icons.
Secondly, check your controller situation. It sounds obvious, but so many people rely on one controller and a charging cable these days. If you're going local co-op, make sure that second controller is actually synced and updated. Nothing kills the mood faster than a 15-minute firmware update when you just want to kick some alien lifeforms.
Common Misconceptions About the Sequel
There is a lot of noise online, so let's clear a few things up.
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- It’s not an MMO: Some people saw the "Revenge" title and thought it was moving toward a live-service model. Nope. It’s still a focused, narrative-driven adventure.
- Split screen isn't "Online Only": You won't need an internet connection to play with the person next to you. That’s the whole point.
- The humor hasn't changed: If you liked the weird, gross-out humor of the first one, it’s still here. If you hated it, well, you'll probably still hate it.
The Verdict on Local Multiplayer
The return of Revenge of the Savage Planet split screen feels like a homecoming for a certain type of gamer. It’s for the people who grew up playing Halo or Borderlands on a basement couch. It’s a middle finger to the idea that every game needs to be a solo experience or a competitive online shooter.
Raccoon Logic is taking a risk by spending development time on a feature that many studios consider "dead." But for a game that is all about exploration, discovery, and slapstick comedy, there is no better way to play. It turns the game from a solo checklist of tasks into a shared memory of that time your friend accidentally blew you both up with a thermal grenade.
Actionable Steps for Players
- Watch the Dev Diaries: Raccoon Logic has been relatively transparent on social media. Follow them for specific updates on console performance.
- Replay the Original: If you haven't played the first game, do it now. It'll give you a much better appreciation for the mechanical jumps they're making in the sequel.
- Coordinate Your Platform: Since cross-play (playing with a friend on a different console) hasn't been fully detailed for all platforms yet, make sure you and your buddies are on the same ecosystem if you plan to play online as well as locally.
- Check Your Storage: Modern sequels are notoriously huge. Clear out some space on your SSD now so you aren't deleting games on launch day.
The gaming world needs more titles like this. It’s colorful, it’s stupid in the best way possible, and it actually lets you play with the people in your own house. Whether you’re scanning bizarre flora or running away from a giant, angry space-slug, it’s just better when you can hear your co-op partner laughing (or screaming) right next to you. Keep an eye on the official release dates, as they tend to shift for indie projects, but rest assured that the split screen dream is very much alive here.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts
To get the most out of your upcoming co-op sessions, start by checking your console’s "Home" settings to ensure your local guest accounts are ready for action. You should also look into the Raccoon Logic community forums, where developers often answer specific questions about controller remapping and UI customization—two things that can make or break a split-screen experience. Finally, verify your TV's "Game Mode" settings; when rendering two screens at once, every millisecond of input lag reduction helps keep the gameplay feeling snappy and responsive.