It Takes Two PS5: Co-Op, Friend's Pass and Crossplay

Can You Play It Takes Two on PS5?

It Takes Two PS5 turns a shared gaming session into a constant exchange of “your turn,” “catch me,” and “try that again.” You can play the adventure on PlayStation 5 through local split-screen or online co-op, with both players taking an essential role. Before starting It Takes Two PS5, sort out your controllers, online subscriptions, and game access so you can spend your evening solving puzzles together.

Developed by Hazelight Studios, this action-adventure follows Cody and May, a couple preparing to separate who suddenly find themselves trapped inside handmade dolls. Their ordinary surroundings become enormous obstacle courses, and getting anywhere requires cooperation.

The important distinction is that co-op forms the entire game. There is no solo campaign or computer-controlled partner to handle the other character.

PS5 question	Answer
Is the game available on PS5?	Yes, alongside a PS4 version
How many people play together?	Two players
Does it support couch co-op?	Yes, through local split-screen
Can you play online?	Yes; PlayStation Plus is required for PlayStation online play
Do both players need to buy it?	One owner can invite a partner through Friend’s Pass
Is there a single-player mode?	No

Even online, split-screen lets you see what your partner is doing. That matters when the solution involves something on their side of a room that you cannot reach yourself.

How Couch Co-Op Works on PS5

For a shared-screen session, bring two controllers and access to the full game on the same PS5. Local co-op does not require an internet connection, and the PlayStation Plus requirement applies to online play.

Image: Steam / Hazelight Studios

That makes the setup straightforward: you and your partner control Cody and May on the same television, each with your own view of the action. Neither character is a supporting role. Both receive tools and responsibilities that the other player needs.

Requirement	Couch co-op	Online co-op on PlayStation
Hardware arrangement	Both players share one console	Players use separate systems
Controllers	One for each player on the shared console	Each player uses their own controller
Internet connection	Not required	Required
PlayStation Plus	Not required for local play	Required for both PlayStation players
Partner’s game access	Play together through the same full game	Full game or Friend’s Pass

When you start It Takes Two PS5 locally, choose characters together rather than assuming one person will handle all the difficult parts. Cody and May get different abilities, and those abilities change throughout the adventure.

Call out what your tool does whenever a new mechanic appears. “I can hold this platform in place” gives your partner something useful to act on. “Come over here” leaves them guessing.

Watch the other half of the screen during puzzles. Your partner might be standing beside a switch, grapple opportunity, or movable object that explains your next move.

For timed sections, agree on a countdown before either player commits. Many challenges depend on linking separate actions, so a clear “three, two, one” can accomplish more than repeated attempts at moving independently.

Online Play, Friend’s Pass, and the Crossplay Update

It Takes Two PS5 supports online co-op, and Friend’s Pass lets an owner invite another player without requiring that partner to buy the full game. The pass provides access to a shared adventure with an owner; it does not turn the guest’s download into an independently owned copy.

Image: Steam / Hazelight Studios

For a PlayStation pairing, the process is:

1. Have one player own the full game.
2. Have the invited player download Friend’s Pass.
3. Use the required PlayStation Network accounts.
4. Make sure both PlayStation players have PlayStation Plus.
5. Have the owner invite the guest into online co-op.

One host can invite one friend at a time. You can play with someone else after the previous partner stops playing.

Crossplay Changed on October 15, 2026

The October 15, 2026 update added online crossplay between PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch 2. Update the game to the latest version before arranging a session across those platforms.

This changes the older restriction that limited PlayStation players to other PlayStation systems.

Your system	Partner’s system	Online compatibility after the October 15, 2026 update
PS5	PS5	Supported
PS5	PS4	Supported
PS5	PC	Supported
PS5	Xbox Series X	S or Xbox One
PS5	Nintendo Switch 2	Supported

Keep crossplay and Friend’s Pass separate when planning your session: crossplay describes which systems can connect, while Friend’s Pass describes how an invited partner accesses the game. For a PS5-to-PS4 session, Friend’s Pass supports the cross-generation pairing.

Who Controls Progress?

The host determines where the session begins. They can start a new game, continue their saved adventure, or select a chapter they have already unlocked.

Guest progress also has value. If the guest later purchases the game, saved progress carries over, and chapters through the saved point become available to them.

Agree on whether you are continuing or starting fresh before accepting the invitation. Joining a friend deep into the story means entering at their chosen point, rather than automatically beginning your own separate campaign.

What Playing It Takes Two PS5 Actually Involves

The appeal of It Takes Two PS5 comes from how often your partnership changes shape. You might solve a platforming puzzle with complementary tools, then face a boss that asks you to apply those same tools under pressure.

Image: Steam / Hazelight Studios

Basic movement includes jumping, double-jumping, and air dashing. Around that foundation, chapters introduce distinct abilities that connect directly to Cody and May’s situation.

Mechanic	How the partnership works
Sap Gun and Match Gun	Combine sap with ignition to create explosions; the tools also help manipulate obstacles
Nails and claw hammer	Cody places nails that give May opportunities to swing with her hammer
Time control and cloning	Cody manipulates time while May creates a duplicate she can swap places with
Magnets	Use magnetic attraction and repulsion to navigate obstacles
Watering and plant transformations	May waters fertile soil, allowing Cody to transform into plants that help create a route

These abilities make communication part of the puzzle. Knowing your own move is only half the solution; you also need to understand what your partner can make possible.

Use New Abilities Beyond Their Obvious Purpose

Try tools on the environment as well as enemies. Sap can weigh down objects, for example, giving it a purpose beyond setting up an explosion.

When May gains cloning, think about positioning as much as movement. Her duplicate can help with timed mechanisms, while swapping positions also becomes useful during a charging boss encounter.

Describe the obstacle before suggesting an action. “This switch needs someone standing on it” helps both players reason through the problem together.

Experiment Between Objectives

The environments contain plenty of interactive distractions, including objects that exist simply to be entertaining. Optional competitive minigames give you a break from working toward the same objective.

Pause for those diversions when you find them. A snowball fight or playful environmental interaction can give a session a different rhythm between demanding platforming sequences.

Generous checkpoints and unlimited lives also encourage experimentation. After a failed attempt, change one part of your timing or positioning so you learn something from the next try.

Is It Takes Two PS5 Worth Playing With Your Partner?

Choose It Takes Two PS5 when you want an adventure that asks both people to participate throughout. Its puzzles repeatedly create situations where each player has something the other needs, giving you shared problems to solve across changing environments.

The journey moves through household spaces transformed by scale and imagination, including a garden shed, tree interiors, snowy surroundings, and unusual musical spaces. Expect platforming, puzzle-solving, action encounters, and sudden shifts in gameplay.

Allow roughly 10 hours for the adventure, with your own pace depending on puzzle-solving and how often you stop to explore or play minigames. Split it across sessions if you want time to enjoy those distractions.

Consider Experience Levels and Story Themes

Unlimited lives and frequent checkpoints reduce the cost of mistakes, but both players still need to participate in movement and timing challenges. Give a less experienced partner room to practice new actions before trying to synchronize everything.

Let each person explain their own screen. Taking over every decision can make the puzzle less satisfying for the player who is still learning.

The story centers on marital conflict, separation, and a child’s response to her parents’ problems. Its colorful presentation sits alongside an ESRB Teen rating for animated blood, comic mischief, fantasy violence, and language. Consider those themes when choosing it for a younger family member.

Dr. Hakim, the talking relationship book, adds broad comedy throughout the journey. The emotional storyline and exaggerated humor sit beside the cooperative challenges, so expect regular story scenes between gameplay sequences.

Before purchasing, check the It Takes Two PlayStation page for the available edition and current offer. Then choose your partner, decide between couch and online play, and leave time to explore beyond the next objective.

FAQ

Can you play It Takes Two PS5 alone?

No. The campaign requires two players, either locally or online. Cody and May have complementary roles, and progression depends on both players participating.

Do both players need to buy It Takes Two on PS5?

No. For couch co-op, both players share access to the full game on one console. Online, an owner can invite a partner using Friend’s Pass. The guest needs an owner’s invitation to play the full adventure through the pass.

Does It Takes Two PS5 support crossplay?

Yes. The October 15, 2026 update added online crossplay between PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch 2. Install the latest game update before connecting across those platforms.

Do you need PlayStation Plus for It Takes Two?

Both PlayStation players need PlayStation Plus to play together online, including when using Friend’s Pass. Local couch co-op does not require PlayStation Plus or an internet connection.