Best co-op games for Christmas 2023, from It Takes Two to Baldur's Gate 3

Christmas is here, and it's the perfect time to celebrate the spirit of the holiday by using your free time to play some of the best co-op games out there, ranging from titles like It Takes Two to Baldur's Gate 3. 

While many enjoy experiencing a game all by themselves, some titles are just built with cooperation in mind, allowing you and your friends to team up together for adventures - but which ones are worth buying and playing this holiday season? 

Best co-op games for Christmas

It Takes Two

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC
• Release date: March 2021
• Key features:
• Specifically built for co-op
• Unique mechanics and gameplay for each level
• Cosy-game aesthetic

It Takes Two took gaming by storm in 2021, showing everyone that focused, co-operative adventure games still had a place in the market. The story sees a kid playing with two dolls based on their parents, which manifests into a campaign that takes place across multiple levels with different story themes and gameplay ideas. 

As foreshadowed by the title, the game is all about relying on each other and cooperating together to solve puzzles and activities - making it a perfect time for two people looking for hours of fun.

Sea of Thieves

• Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
• Release date: March 2018
• Key features:
• Open-world, free-form gameplay
• Run a ship as a full pirate crew
• New content and campaigns with updates

If you have dreams about partying up with friends to sail the high seas and take part in tomfoolery, then Sea of Thieves may be for you. 

It's an online game where you can crew up, grab a pirate ship, and go off on your own adventures in a large open world. Whether it's finding treasure, robbing other players, or following the story missions, the game offers a lot for you and up to three friends.

Resident Evil 5

• Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
• Release date: March 2009
• Key features:
• Action-horror gameplay
• Team-oriented boss fights
• Unlockables provide replay value

Resident Evil 5 took the RE franchise in a different direction that disappointed many, but despite those issues, it made for a fantastic cooperative, action-horror experience. The game shines particularly in its unique set pieces and boss encounters, making for tense combat situations against odds that always feel just overwhelming.

It also knows when to lean into the camp aspects of the story, ensuring it's memorable and fun throughout its runtime - just make sure you play it with someone else to really get the optimal experience.

Portal 2 

• Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and PC
• Release date: April 2011
• Key features:
• Unique co-op campaign
• Free community content to play
• Writing and humour

What can you say about the Portal series that hasn't already been said? Both entries are considered to be among the best in the puzzle genre for good reason, but the sequel's extra co-op campaign took it to the next level.

It featured the same great puzzle design, clever writing, and engaging gameplay of the single-player mode, but upped the ante by adding a second player - allowing the devs to go crazy with puzzles and challenges. Finishing Portal 2 co-op is an achievement to brag about, but first and foremost, I'd say it's one of the best co-op games of all time.

Stardew Valley

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and PC
• Release date: February 2016
• Key features:
• Build and customise your own farm
• Explore the local town
• Relaxing experience you can play at your own pace

If you and your co-op buddies are looking for a game that's more calming and less intense, Stardew Valley is a great game to play with friends. The game starts with you inheriting your grandfather's house in the titular town, before throwing you in and allowing you to build and customise it to your own liking. 

It can feel like a second job on your own due to how much content there is to engage with, but with friends, the game comes together and allows each player to invest their time in the activities and golds that they enjoy - all for the betterment of the farm.

Borderlands 2

• Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC
• Release date: September 2012
• Key features:
• Irreverent humour
• Fun quests and set pieces
• A gazillion weapons to use

Another one of the best co-op games to play currently is Borderlands 2, an iconic FPS action RPG with all the guns and swearing you could ever ask for. The Borderlands games are mostly known for their humour style - which admittedly doesn't land with everyone - but with three extra buddies the gameplay really showcases it as one of the most fun co-op experiences you can try.

There are five Borderlands games to choose from at this point, but we landed on the second, as it's commonly seen as the best - and due to it being ten years old, you and your friends can pick it up for cheap anytime.

Diablo 4

• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
• Release date: June 2023
• Key features:
• Open-world to explore
• Satisfying combat
• Build choices

Getting to the current year, 2023 has had a tonne of great games to play, with Diablo 4 being one of the best examples of top-tier co-op games to release over the past 12 months.

With friends, you can explore the entire open world of Diablo 4 killing hordes of enemies, finishing quests, collecting loot, and enjoying the endgame that comes after the main story. The gameplay loop is consistently engaging, allowing you to build the types of unique classes you want, and there's always something to do with the various activities, world bosses, and Nightmare dungeons on offer.

What is the best co-op game for Christmas?

Baldur's Gate 3

• Platforms: PlayStation 5 and PC
• Release date: August 2023
• Key features:
• Huge number of role-playing choices
• Tactical turn-based combat
• Closest experience to D&D in video games

Finally, we get to our best game for co-op play this Christmas - Baldur's Gate 3. In a year full of massive releases, BG3 is the underdog that rose to the top - showing that CRPGs aren't a thing of the past anymore, and that they can attract large audiences. 

It's worth noting that committing to a BG3 co-op campaign can be quite the undertaking considering the game's massive size, but very few experiences allow you and a party of friends to have so much freedom for how you play and what you do. 

Supporting up to four players in a party, the game is essentially digital Dungeons & Dragons, with dice rolls, story choices, and reactive gameplay that constantly keeps it fresh for potentially hundreds of hours. 

Now you know our selection of the best co-op games to play this Christmas, and you and some friends should easily be able to find something to occupy you this holiday period. Be sure to check out our lists homepage for more recommendations on titles in plenty of different genres.