It Takes Two iOS: Can You Actually Play Cody and May on Your iPhone?

The Game of the Year trophy is heavy. In 2021, Hazelight Studios and the ever-charismatic (and occasionally chaotic) Josef Fares pulled off a miracle with It Takes Two. It wasn't just a platformer. It was a mandatory cooperative therapy session wrapped in a Pixar-on-acid aesthetic. Naturally, the first thing anyone thinks when they see a game that looks this good is: "Can I play this on my phone?"

People have been searching for It Takes Two iOS since the moment the credits rolled on the console versions. They want to know if they can take the divorce-dodging adventures of Cody and May on a train, to a coffee shop, or just to bed.

The short answer? It's complicated. The long answer involves cloud clusters, hardware limitations, and a very specific Nintendo Switch port that changed the conversation entirely.

The Reality of a Native It Takes Two iOS Port

Let's get the blunt truth out of the way. As of right now, there is no native "ipa" file you can download from the App Store for It Takes Two. You won't find it sitting next to Genshin Impact or Roblox.

Why?

Hardware. Even though the latest M4 iPad Pros and iPhone 16 Pro Max chips are absolute monsters, porting a game built on Unreal Engine 4 that requires a constant split-screen perspective is a nightmare. It Takes Two isn't rendering one world; it’s rendering two simultaneous viewpoints at all times. That is a heavy lift for a mobile thermal envelope.

Hazelight is a relatively small studio. They focus on quality over quantity. While we’ve seen Capcom bring Resident Evil Village and Death Stranding to high-end iPhones, those are "prestige ports" often subsidized by Apple to show off silicon. Electronic Arts (the publisher) hasn't signaled that they are ready to dump the resources into a ground-up mobile optimization.

How People Are Actually Playing It on iPhone Right Now

Despite the lack of an App Store icon, people are playing It Takes Two iOS every single day. They just aren't "running" it on the phone. They’re beaming it there.

The Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud) Workaround

This is the most reliable method. Since It Takes Two is part of the EA Play library, it’s included with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

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You open Safari. You go to the Xbox Play site. You add the web app to your home screen. Boom. You're playing the console version on your iPhone. Honestly, if you have a stable 5GHz Wi-Fi connection or a solid 5G signal, it feels remarkably native. But you absolutely need a controller. Trying to play a precision platformer with touch controls is a recipe for a smashed screen and a real-life divorce.

Steam Link and Moonlight

If you already own the game on PC, you're in luck. You can use the Steam Link app or, for the more tech-savvy, Moonlight/Sunshine.

I've tested this on an iPad Air. The iPad serves as the monitor, while your beefy PC in the other room does the heavy lifting. The latency is almost non-existent if you're on the same network. It's the "pseudo-port" that makes the most sense for home use.

The Nintendo Switch Factor: A Glimmer of Hope?

For a long time, people said It Takes Two could never run on mobile hardware. Then, Turn Me Up Games (the wizards behind several impossible ports) brought it to the Nintendo Switch in late 2022.

The Switch uses an ancient Nvidia Tegra X1 chip. If that little tablet can handle the Book of Love’s antics—albeit with some blurry textures and a 30fps cap—then a modern iPhone certainly can. The Switch port proved that the game's code is flexible enough to be squeezed down. This is why the It Takes Two iOS rumors refuse to die. The optimization path exists. The question is simply whether EA wants to pay for the bridge to be built.

Why the "Friend's Pass" Changes Everything

One of the best things about this game is the Friend's Pass. If you buy the game, your partner plays for free.

If a mobile version ever does launch, this would be the killer feature. Imagine being able to send a link to a friend, and they download a "lite" version of It Takes Two iOS to play through the entire campaign with you. It fits the mobile "social" gaming vibe perfectly.

The Controller Dilemma

You cannot play this game with a touchscreen. Period.

It Takes Two requires:

• Twin-stick movement and camera control.
• Precise jumping (the clockwork level will break you).
• Simultaneous trigger and button inputs for various mechanics (Cody's nails and May's hammer, for instance).

If you are attempting to play via cloud gaming on your iPhone, you need a Backbone One, a Razer Kishi, or just a standard PS5/Xbox controller clipped to your phone. Don't even try the on-screen overlays. You'll miss the jumps, fail the bosses, and end up hating a game that is actually a masterpiece.

Common Misconceptions and Scams

Searching for an "It Takes Two Mobile Download" is a dangerous game.

You will find dozens of YouTube videos with titles like "How to Download It Takes Two on iOS/Android!" accompanied by fake footage of someone "playing" with touch overlays. These are almost always scams. They usually lead to "verification" sites that ask you to download three other apps or fill out surveys to "unlock" the game.

Don't do it.

There is no "hidden" mobile version. There are no APKs or IPAs that work. If it's not on the official App Store or a recognized cloud service like GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Gaming, it is a virus. Stay safe.

The Technical Hurdle: Split-Screen on a Small Screen

Even if a native port happened tomorrow, we have to talk about the "squint" factor.

It Takes Two is built around vertical and horizontal split-screen. On a 6.7-inch iPhone screen, that gives each player a very small window. It’s cramped. It’s busy. You’d probably spend half the time wondering what you’re looking at. This is likely another reason why developers are hesitant. The game was designed for big-screen immersion.

On an iPad? It would be glorious. On a phone? It's a compromise.

Is It Ever Actually Coming?

Looking at the industry trends in 2025 and 2026, the gap between "mobile" and "console" is vanishing. Apple is pushing hard for "AAA" gaming.

However, Hazelight is currently working on their next project. They’ve teased it. They’ve moved on. Unless a third-party porting house takes the reins—similar to how Aspyr or Feral Interactive handles Mac/iOS ports—a native version of It Takes Two iOS remains a low probability in the near term.

Practical Next Steps for Mobile Players

If you're dying to play right now on your iPhone or iPad, don't wait for an official announcement that might never come. Here is the move:

1. Get a Controller: Invest in a Backbone One or use a Bluetooth-enabled Xbox/PS5 controller.
2. Check Your Subscription: If you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you already "own" the ability to play this on your phone via the cloud.
3. Use the Web App: Go to xbox.com/play, log in, and add it to your home screen.
4. Optimizing Wi-Fi: Ensure you are on a 5GHz band. 2.4GHz Wi-Fi will result in stuttering that makes the platforming sections impossible.
5. Data Usage: Be careful if you're on a limited data plan. Cloud gaming eats through gigabytes like Cody eats through... well, whatever Cody eats.

Playing It Takes Two iOS via the cloud is currently the "definitive" mobile experience. It’s the full console game, no graphical compromises (other than compression), and it works today. Stop looking for a download link and start looking for a stable Wi-Fi signal.