The gaming community is buzzing with excitement like summer festivities thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2 buzz and a plethora of announcements from various showcases during the Summer Game Fest. If you enjoy games that require teamwork, you have no shortage of co-op experiences to choose from these days.
Although the Summer Game Fest wasn’t anything special beyond Resident Evil 9, the event and other showcases did show off some great co-op games nonetheless. This season is pretty great for fans who enjoy the cooperative gaming experience. From horror missions to concept shaping puzzle games, it has everything!
Horror and Mystery: Eyes of Hellfire Is Supernatural Terror
Blumhouse Games is making a bunch of announcements too. They’re bringing us Eyes of Hellfire, a five-player online co-op horror experience based on the true Irish legend of the Hellfire Club. In this chilling adventure, the notorious secret society is in the background as the player gets trapped in the lodge of the club.
The way the game gets people to play together is unique since you won’t always know what others are trying to do. Each character has different powers and limitations and individual objectives that conflict with the other characters. The turn-based gameplay system uses action cards to create an experience similar to popular cooperative board games like Betrayal at House on the Hill.
Although Eyes of Hellfire doesn’t have a release date yet, it will enter Steam Early Access! So be sure to add it to your wishlist if you like spooky, atmospheric co-op horror!
Wild West Meets Robotics in Far Far West
The Western genre gets the sci-fi treatment in Far Far West, a four-player online co-op shooter where you play as a bounty-hunting robot cowboy. This game mixes gunplay and magic, letting you cast spells and coordinate special abilities while completing dangerous contracts from the local sheriff.
You’ll visit towns between missions where you can upgrade your gear, unlock perks, and create deadly loadouts. You can playtest this through Steam and get an early look at the unique Western-robot game.
Artistic Innovation with Into the Unwell
Into the Unwell shows off probably the most eye-catching announcement from the showcases, as it is a three-player online co-op roguelike set in a weird rubber hose animated world. Players take control of imperfect misfits in an uncanny world where they are tasked with battling their personal vices and encountering weirder and weirder characters as they earn better and better skills.
The game offers three unique character classes, each with their own bizarre weapons, and pushes melee combat to accommodate the dark cartoon style. Just like Cuphead, Into the Unwell is another game that delves into darker themes with charming animation that takes its cue from old cartoons. The title will be released on Steam Early Access soon.
Educational Excellence Returns with Escape Academy 2
Escape Academy 2: Back to School is the return of one of the best-received co-op puzzle game franchises. The sequel has a world around it, which lets them take classes and walk around the campus in between escape room sections.
The original game had a great story, so people expect the sequel to have a good story as well. The game will ship with a creative puzzle design, we expect, maintaining the engaging spirit of the previous title. It also supports local and online cooperative play.
Soulslike Evolution with Nioh 3
While an exact release date is not known at this time, look to launch on all major platforms.
The soulslike Nioh 3 has already been announced to be in development by Team Ninja, so when it will be released? The third game wants us to explore the environment in full splendour – kind of like just cause. In the game players will get two different combat styles which include a samurai and a ninja stance in which they can switch during combat.
The developers stated that there will be online co-op for three, but information about co-op gameplay will still remain. Nioh 3 may reach the same level of success that Elden Ring achieved with the Soulslike genre change to an open world. If you’re curious to see the new direction, a demo is available until June 18th.
Grounded 2 – The Next Miniature Magnetic Adventure
Obsidian Grounded 2 does not grow massively bigger than the original’s scope. The sequel moves from surviving in your backyard to traversing the entire park. In fact, the starting area is remote huge area is just as big as the whole of the original.
Some new features include a bug companion called buggies which players can ride on or use as a combat buggy while it can also be used as a pack mule for carrying resources. Grounded 2’s mystery is clearer than in the original. It’s revealed pretty early on. The game still has four-player online co-op. One of the earliest releases from the showcases due to its proximity is the launch of this game on July 29 in Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Pass.
Revenge and Style in Blighted
After the well-received Nobody Saves the World, its creators are back with Blighted, a radical shift in tone. Your character is one of the survivors of a village massacre. Now you seek revenge through a vibrant psychedelic Western world. The purpose of the game is to recollect lost memories while pursuing one’s justice
Blighted is an action RPG with fighting and gameplay difficulties that change based on a player’s degree of blight.
The two-player local co-op mode has drop-in/drop-out functionality for short and long sessions. With Blighted, the studio’s gift for beautiful art direction continues. The game is scheduled for Steam release next year.
Scott Pilgrim Returns with EX Adventure
Scott Pilgrim EX offers Scott, Ramona and their friends a whole new adventure as they take on rival gangs in a version of Toronto warped by time and space. Players can team up for four-player local and online co-op. There are seven total playable characters. Each character has unique abilities.
Players can perform complicated combinations, use strange weapons, and use the environment as weapons to fight more creatively. The visual presentation has the series’ recognisable style while the music will be composed by Anamanaguchi. Scott Pilgrim EX is slated for all platforms with a release window of next year.
Creative Building with Lego Voyagers
Lego Voyagers has a great two-player co-op adventure that offers both local and online play. The players of the Lego video game get to have fun controlling Lego bricks. They tumble, jump and build their way through creative levels. Their poetic mission is to salvage an abandoned spacecraft.
The game has a Friends Pass system, similar to It Takes Two, so only one of you has to buy it. This emphasis on accessibility shows that studios are increasingly focused on making co-op gaming more inclusive. No release has been dated yet but Lego Voyagers is one of the most interesting co-op concepts in the showcases.
Stop-Motion Artistry in Out of Words
Out of Words ends with stunning Danish adventure made with quality stop motion animation. The game follows Kurt and Carla, colourful people who lose their ability to speak and navigate a delightful world.
The animation is hand-crafted giving it a human feel. The gameplay uses gravity-shifting mechanics that require cooperation to solve the puzzles. The memorable character designs and creative puzzle elements are highly funny thanks to effective use of the communication theme. Out of Words is set to launch next year for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, as well as on PC via the Epic Games Store.
Additional Noteworthy Mentions
There are many more games well worth a mention in the showcases. Forever is an online co-op available to three players. It is a role-playing game (RPG) set in a large setting that attracts similarities from the fantasy universe. With multiple classes, weapon skills, and a deep RPG system, the game also features a beautiful cell shade art style.
A Pikmin-style roguelike in which you recruit cultists to serve a dark god. The four-player co-op game, playable locally and online, is a mix of chaos and dark comedy as players work together to end the world. Worship launches in Steam Early Access on July 16th.
The Big Walk may not be new, but there was a complete gameplay overview trailer. This game is matched with atmospheric music. Additionally, solving puzzles with sounds, symbols, and gestures encourages communication and cooperation. The game has been pushed back to next year, making it one of the most anticipated co-op releases of 2026. The Summer Game Fest season has been incredibly rewarding for fans of cooperative gaming, including a variety of experiences across genres and new gameplay concepts.