One of Dead Island 2's main selling points is the ability to play online co-op, but the feature isn't available right out of the gate. Unlocking co-op multiplayer in Dead Island 2 first requires players to reach a certain part of the main story, so players should plan accordingly when trying to organize a co-op gaming session with their friends.
To play co-op in Dead Island 2, players must first complete the first three main story quests: Flight of the Damned, Desperately Seeking Emma, and Bel-Air Brawl. These first three story quests basically serve as the tutorial quests for Dead Island 2, giving players the rundown on how everything works in the game in terms of combat and exploration. It does take a bit of time to get through these quests, at least an hour, so keep that in mind.
Once Dead Island 2 players have completed the first three main story quests, they will get a new quest called Call the Calvary, the fourth mission in the game. The first step of Call the Calvary is to talk to Michael at Emma Jaunt's safe house, located in Dead Island 2's take on Beverly Hills. Speak to Michael and then go outside. At this point, a prompt will appear on the screen explaining that it's now possible to play Dead Island 2 in co-op.
How to Play Co-Op in Dead Island 2
- Complete the first three main story quests: Flight of the Damned, Desperately Seeking Emma, and Bel-Air Brawl
- Start mission 4, Call the Cavalry, and speak to Michael
- Walk outside the safe house
- Invite friends
Once the prerequisites have been met, starting a co-op session in Dead Island 2 is simply a matter of inviting friends to the game. As long as they have progressed far enough with their own Dead Island 2 slayer, players should be able to join each other's games with no problem. Everyone will still get credit for quest progress, so there's no downside to playing through the game in co-op. In fact, doing so is necessary to unlock all the achievements/trophies in Dead Island 2.
How Many People Can Play Dead Island 2 in Co-Op?
- 3 players
There's a limitation with Dead Island 2's co-op that fans should be aware of. Only three people total can play the game in co-op, as opposed to the standard 4-player co-op that some may have been expecting.
There are also some technical problems tied to Dead Island 2's co-op that players should be aware of, with the biggest problem being an issue where co-op partners become de-synced from the host. Most of these glitches can be resolved by triggering a "huddle up." Huddle ups happen when speaking to a quest NPC or traveling to a new area. Otherwise, players should have little issue exploring zombie-ridden Los Angeles with their friends.
Dead Island 2 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.