How to Play Split Screen Co-Op in Stardew Valley

For those looking to experience Stardew Valley in the couch co-op mode, here’s how to enable local multiplayer for new and old Saves.

Stardew Valley offers two multiplayer options: Online and Split Screen. With Online Mode, you can connect to other players’ farms over the Internet, whereas Split Screen is designed for local couch co-op. This guide will walk you through enabling and disabling local co-op multiplayer in Stardew Valley because, despite its straightforward nature, navigating through its settings can be a bit tricky initially.

Stardew Valley: How to Unlock and Use the Hopper

The hopper doesn’t fully automate machines in Stardew Valley, but it can make life easier.

How to Enable Local Co-Op in Stardew Valley

the split screen menu in stardew valley.

In the main menu, select Co-Op and click Split Screen. This will allow you to join the game with 2–4 players. Once the game starts, other farmers must press the Menu button twice to spawn on the farm. You have the option to start the new game with up to three additional Cabins so that the other farmers join the host immediately. Alternatively, you can talk to Robin about building extra Cabins, but she will charge you 100g for each.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Select the Co-Op option from the main menu.
Choose Split Screen.
Create a new Save.
Increase the number of Cabins in the Character Customization menu in the top-left corner.
Click OK to host a multiplayer game.
Press the Menu button on other controllers to join the host.

Before creating a host, you have the option to adjust the Profit Margin. Lowering this value will result in a decrease in the selling price of items. Furthermore, you can switch
the money acquisition method
to Separate, allowing players to earn and spend gold from their inventories instead of affecting a shared bank.

How to Disable Local Co-Op in Stardew Valley

the multiplayer host menu in stardew valley.

Other players must exit the multiplayer mode from the in-game menu to disable local co-op in Stardew Valley. For that, they will need to press the Pause button and choose Exit Game. This won’t affect the progress of other farmers. However, if the host leaves the game, all other farmers will be kicked out automatically.

Another method for stopping the split screen experience is demolishing extra Cabins. Talk to Robin and choose Demolish to bulldoze the unwanted structures and prevent others from joining your game.

How to Play Co-Op in a Stardew Valley Save

If you want to turn a Save into a local co-op multiplayer, build extra Cabins by speaking with Robin, the Carpenter, who sells these structures for 100g each. They are prefabricated and will spawn on the farm immediately. Once you have 1–3 of these buildings on your farm, press the Menu button on other controllers to have other players join your game.