GDC 2025 wasn’t just a celebration of innovative mechanics or fresh narratives—it was a clear sign that co-op gaming is having a moment. Whether you’re sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on a couch or queuing into a match across time zones, the future of playing together is looking better than ever. From lighthearted puzzle-solving to chaotic mech combat, here are our most anticipated and upcoming co-op games from this year’s show.
These upcoming co-op games range from shooters to puzzlers to ARPGs and even an inventive take on tabletop gaming. Whether you’re looking to play with one other person or a whole group, these upcoming co-op games from GDC were standouts and a big reason you should be excited to play with other people.
Get BWT in your inbox!
Get BWT in your inbox!
Steel Hunters
From Wargaming comes Steel Hunters, a mech-based PvEvP shooter that puts teamwork, tactics, and terrain destruction at the heart of every match. You and a partner drop into a vast, shifting battlefield as sentient mechs called Hunters, each with distinct personalities, playstyles, and lore. Whether you’re a heavy Nordic tank or a stealth sniper with a Colombian accent, your choices—and synergy with your co-op partner—shape every encounter.
Unlike other hero shooters chasing speed, Steel Hunters thrives on weight and intention. You loot, survive, and extract while outmaneuvering AI threats and enemy duos. The destructible environments add verticality and strategic depth, while the game’s early access philosophy (no monetization, no wipes) offers a refreshing approach to live service. It’s a game built to grow with its players—and one that already feels grounded in something more than just mechs and bullets.
ARK: Aquatica
To mark ten years of ARK: Survival Evolved, Snail Games is diving deep with ARK: Aquatica—a bold new expansion set entirely underwater. Players awaken in a corrupted ARK submerged in the Atlantic Ocean, where survival means mastering buoyancy, managing pressure, and building bases from pearls on floating and anchored platforms. With five massive biomes, 17 new aquatic creatures, and revamped traversal systems, this DLC offers a radically fresh take on ARK’s core loop.
Designed with both veterans and newcomers in mind, Aquatica softens the brutal early game without sacrificing tension. Co-op play is at the heart of the experience, supported by official servers and scalable difficulty. Whether you’re gliding through kelp forests with a Monodon or braving the abyss with your tribe, ARK: Aquatica invites players to rediscover survival beneath the surface. Launches June 2025.
Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults
BKOM Studios is bringing one of Pathfinder’s most iconic campaigns to life as a fully cooperative, party-based ARPG—and it works surprisingly well. Abomination Vaults drops players into a 10-level dungeon beneath Gauntlight Keep, where up to four heroes (either solo or in online/local co-op) fight through monsters, traps, and puzzles in search of a resurrected sorceress. It’s fast, flexible, and refreshingly streamlined. Whether you’re swapping between AI-controlled companions or fighting alongside friends, the game’s smart control scheme and shared-screen setup make it incredibly easy to pick up and play.
While rooted in Pathfinder’s deep lore, the experience never feels overwhelming. Each character has multiple build paths, gear upgrades are handled simply in town, and combo-based boss fights encourage coordination without punishing experimentation. Even dialogue and side quests reflect your party choices, adding a personal touch to the adventure. If you’ve ever wanted to play a tabletop campaign without the rulebook overhead, this one’s for you.
Sunderfolk
Blending the spirit of a tabletop campaign with the ease of a couch co-op game, Sunderfolk is shaping up to be one of the most thoughtful and innovative RPGs of the year. Developed by Secret Door, this 1–4 player tactical adventure lets you play from your phone or tablet while a central screen drives the action—no dice or stat sheets needed. The game’s cooperative combat, card-based skill system, and flexible party structure make every turn feel strategic and collaborative. Whether playing solo or with friends, it offers the feel of a full campaign without the scheduling headaches.
Between missions, players explore the town of Arden, upgrade their heroes, and build relationships with NPCs. A narrated story (voiced by Anjali Bhimani) and intuitive controls round out an experience that’s perfect for seasoned players and newcomers alike. It’s a campaign that fits your life, not the other way around. Sunderfolk launches on April 23, 2025.
Wild Gate
Wildgate is chaotic, colorful, and designed with friends in mind. The over the top shooter throws players into fast-paced team skirmishes filled with abilities, environmental traps, and shapeshifting trickery. It’s not just about reflexes; it’s about reading the room, anticipating your allies (or betrayers), and leaning into the delightful mess of multiplayer chaos.
Even in this early trailer, the game pulses with energy. Abilities flash, characters explode, and the map seems to shift underfoot as the match unfolds. It feels like the kind of game where anything can happen—and usually does. If you’re looking for the next big co-op party game that dials the tension and comedy up to 11, Wildgate might be the one to watch.
Hela
In a sea of spectacle, Hela stood out for its heart. This cozy co-op adventure casts players as magical mouse familiars on a mission to help a beloved witch recover. With its warm tone and inventive design, Hela offers a fresh take on teamwork, prioritizing exploration, puzzle-solving, and small acts of kindness over combat. Gliding on frog companions, swinging across towering furniture, and brewing potions together all become part of a magical rhythm that’s both relaxing and rewarding.
While Hela supports up to four players online or locally, its design feels especially tuned for one- or two-player couch co-op. There’s a beautiful simplicity to its mechanics, with clever solo solutions and dynamic puzzle setups that invite collaboration. It’s the kind of game that reminds you why sharing a screen still matters and why co-op doesn’t need chaos to be meaningful.
Honor of Kings: World
While we didn’t get to play Honor of Kings: World in its multiplayer setting, the approach to combat and character builds is going to make for a fantastic co-op game when its all said and done. With quick dynamic combat and boss designs with multiple area-wide mechanics that will facilitate communication and teamwork, this is a title I can’t wait to play with other people.
Developed by TiMi Studio Group, Honor of Kings: World is a part of an IP that currently stands as the world’s most-played MOBA. Additionally, after speaking with the devs, they’re putting player choice over meta-building and looking to facilitate co-op play and solo play thoughtfully.
Revenge of the Savage Planet
Revenge of the Savage Planet is a sequel to Journey to the Savage Planet, and it ups the co-op game by moving to third-person and adding in couch co-op. An open world metroidvania inspired game, you wake up from cryosleep having been laid off after your company gets acquired. It’s a topical joke to say the least, especially since Raccoon Logic released the last game under the banner Typhoon Studios while a part of Google, only to be shut down. Yeah, it’s on the nose, but it fits so many of us right now.
But the environmental comedy all fuels couch co-op mayhem in some of the best ways. While you may want to play on the biggest screen that you can, a comedic approach to a capitalistic dystopia is the joy we need right now, and this satirical co-op offers environmental puzzles, platforming, and multiple planets to roam.
Whether you’re diving into mech warfare, brewing potions with a partner, or commanding a party of spell-slinging heroes, GDC 2025 made one thing clear: co-op is evolving. This year’s lineup of upcoming co-op games proves that playing together isn’t just about shared screens or online matchmaking—it’s about shared experiences built with care, clarity, and creativity. With so many inventive, flexible, and emotionally resonant upcoming co-op games on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to grab a friend (or three) and press start.
