Choose your evening’s format first
Split Fiction is a two-player adventure that alternates science-fiction and fantasy worlds. You can share a screen or meet online. Start with a practical decision: will you sit together, or will each of you use a separate device? The answer changes your preparation, not just comfort. One screen calls for suitable seats and input devices; an online meeting calls for installations on both devices and a working connection.
Also agree whether you want to experience the story as one regular pair or simply try it for an evening. That helps you choose between a trial and a complete playthrough without turning arrangements into a purchase debate. In the opening scenes, talk about your chosen roles and how to communicate obstacles. Describing what happens on your half of the screen is more useful than expecting your partner to guess the required action immediately.
The full game and Friend’s Pass serve different purposes
One full copy is enough for the complete online adventure: the other player installs the free Friend’s Pass and joins its owner. A Pass does not provide independent access to the entire story. If neither person owns the game, two Passes can try the opening levels. A short trial helps you decide whether you enjoy working together before reserving several evenings for the adventure.
Check the product name before downloading: the host needs the full Split Fiction, while the guest needs its matching Pass. Do not treat a demo as access to the entire story or mistake a soundtrack for the game. Allow time for installation so your planned meeting does not start with a wait. If both of you already own the full game, you do not need another purchase just to experience the story together.
On one PC, test input before starting
Local co-op in the full game works without an internet connection. On PC, use two controllers or one controller alongside a keyboard and mouse. A second person sharing your computer therefore does not mean a second keyboard. Choose your preferred combination beforehand, connect the devices and check that each person controls their own character. If a controller is unfamiliar, spend the first few minutes learning movement and the camera rather than judging a partner by one missed jump.
Two views share one screen, so make sure both players can see what is happening comfortably. Adjust seating and readability before a long session. For a couch evening, do not confuse account preparation with online invitations: start with your chosen local mode. A friend in another city needs a different arrangement; connecting a controller at your home does not turn a local session into ordinary online play.
Online and crossplay: add the right friend
Crossplay is confirmed between PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, including Friend’s Pass. Online play needs EA accounts. Use the in-game EA Friends List for a cross-platform invitation, and make sure your partner has already launched the game. A friend in a storefront list and a friend in EA are not necessarily the same ready-to-use connection for an invitation.
If an invitation does not arrive, check your two devices, both sign-ins and crossplay permissions. Settings differ by platform, so do not look for a PlayStation menu name in the Xbox version. Compare what each person actually sees instead of sending the same invitation repeatedly. Restarting after those checks can help, but does not correct the wrong account. Never share passwords: each player signs in to their own account and adds the other as a friend.
Progress and the next meeting
In an online session, the host chooses where to continue or which available chapter to play; changing partners does not require restarting the entire adventure. You may invite different friends, but only one joins each session. Agree who will organise the playthrough and note where you ended an evening so resuming is clear to both of you. Do not promise save transfers between platforms: online compatibility alone does not establish that feature.
Before your next meeting, run through the short checklist below. If your aim is a shared story, agree how to handle spoilers and whether either person should progress with another friend between your evenings. That is a decision for your pair rather than a technical restriction. When both players understand the connection method and starting point, preparations involve less discussion and you can get back to the adventure.
Quick checklist
- You have chosen one screen or online and prepared suitable input.
- The full online story has a game owner and a guest with the Pass installed.
- Crossplay sign-ins, permissions and EA Friends List have been checked.
- You know who will organise the session and where to resume.
Find games in the catalog
Put the advice into practice with a relevant selection of games.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need two copies of Split Fiction?
Not for the full online adventure: one full-game owner can invite a Friend’s Pass guest. Couch co-op uses the full game on one device. Two Passes without an owner provide a trial of the opening levels.
Can I continue with a different friend?
Yes. The online host can continue their playthrough with a new partner. Only two people play at once, though: Friend’s Pass does not turn Split Fiction into an adventure for a larger group.