Best Online Co-op Games for Friends Who Don't Live Together
Five online multiplayer games built for staying in touch with far-away friends, chosen for accessible price points and gameplay that doesn't punish new players.
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Local couch co-op is great when everyone’s in the same room, but a lot of friend groups are scattered across cities or states and need games built for playing together online instead. The best online co-op picks aren’t necessarily the biggest-name titles — they’re the ones that stay fun over a video call, don’t punish a player for missing a session or two, and don’t require a huge time investment just to get everyone’s characters caught up to the same progression point. This guide covers five online co-op games in the $15-$60 range, chosen specifically for approachable difficulty curves, low barriers to entry for new players, and mechanics that actually reward playing together rather than just being in the same lobby.
1. It Takes Two — best story-driven co-op for two friends
It Takes Two is built from the ground up as a two-player-only experience, with constantly shifting mechanics and genuinely clever level design that keeps both players engaged rather than one person carrying the other. It’s a complete, self-contained story rather than a live-service game, so there’s no ongoing subscription or grind — just a great weekend or two of playing together start to finish.
Street price: $30-$40.
2. Overcooked! 2 — best chaotic, easy-to-learn party co-op
Overcooked! 2 is simple enough to teach a new player in five minutes but chaotic enough to stay funny and stressful in equal measure across dozens of levels, which makes it a great pick for a recurring video-call game night with a rotating group of friends. Online play supports up to four players, so it scales up better than most two-player-focused co-op titles.
Street price: $20-$30.
3. Deep Rock Galactic — best long-term co-op for regular game nights
Deep Rock Galactic’s cave-mining missions are built around four-player online squads and offer enough mission variety and progression to sustain months of regular game nights rather than being a one-and-done playthrough. The class system means each friend can settle into a different role, which helps groups develop the kind of playful, semi-competitive dynamic that keeps a standing game night alive.
Street price: $25-$35.
4. Phasmophobia — best low-cost horror co-op for voice-chat game nights
Phasmophobia is one of the more affordable games on this list and thrives specifically on voice chat, since coordinating who’s investigating which room and reacting to jump scares together is most of the fun. It’s a strong pick for friend groups that already do regular video calls and want a shared activity rather than just talking over a static screen.
Street price: $15-$20.
5. Helldivers 2 — best for friend groups who want longer, more intense sessions
Helldivers 2 supports four-player online squads through longer, more tactical missions that reward actual teamwork and communication over button-mashing, appealing to friend groups who want a meatier session than a quick party game provides. It’s pricier than most picks here, but a single purchase covers hundreds of hours of shared missions rather than a short story campaign.
Street price: $40-$60.
How to get the best price
- Set a price-tracking alert rather than buying at launch price — most of these titles see 30-50% discounts within their first year during seasonal storefront sales.
- Check whether the game requires every player to own a copy or supports a friend-pass/trial mode for a session host’s guests, since some co-op titles let one purchase cover a limited number of guest players.
- Buy digital during a platform-wide sale event rather than a physical copy when the price gap is small — digital sale pricing on these titles is usually more aggressive than physical retail discounts.
- Coordinate the purchase with your friend group in advance so everyone buys during the same sale window; a game that’s fun alone but requires a full squad loses most of its value if only one person owns it.
The best online co-op pick depends on how much time your group actually has for a standing game night versus wanting a shorter, complete experience to play through together once. It’s also worth agreeing on a rough weekly or biweekly time slot before buying, since the games with the most long-term value tend to lose momentum fastest when a group can’t settle on a consistent schedule. It Takes Two and Overcooked! 2 are the easiest entry points for a group that hasn’t gamed together before, while Deep Rock Galactic and Helldivers 2 reward friend groups ready to commit to a recurring session.