WheelMates Split Screen and Online Co-op Modes
Quick answer
WheelMates split screen co-op is supported locally on one PC, and online co-op is supported for two players in separate locations. The Steam feature list shows Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and Shared/Split Screen, and Friend's Pass lets your partner join for free without buying a copy. Crossplay with PlayStation 5, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch is not announced as of 2026-09-05, because no console version exists yet. ## Does WheelMates support online co-op? Yes. Online Co-op appears in the Steam feature list on the store page for AppID 3905450, and the whole adventure is designed for two RC cars working the same puzzle from different angles. Both players connect through Steam, so you invite through your Steam friends list rather than through a separate account system. Because Family Sharing and Steam Cloud are also listed, your progress travels with your Steam account rather than living on one machine. Launch-week hotfixes posted on the Steam Community hub on September 2 and September 4, 2026 specifically addressed progression and co-op connection problems, so keep the game updated before troubleshooting a session that will not connect. The dated changes are collected on the [WheelMates patch notes page](/patch-notes/). ## Does WheelMates split screen co-op work on one PC? Yes. The Steam feature list includes both Shared/Split Screen Co-op and Shared/Split Screen, which is the couch setup: one computer, one display, two controllers, two viewports. Full Controller Support is listed on the same page, so a second gamepad is the practical requirement for local play. Local sessions ask more of your hardware than solo play, since the machine renders two views at once. If your PC sits close to the minimum tier, check the [WheelMates PC hardware requirements](/system-requirements/) before planning a couch night. Firevolt has not published a separate performance target for shared screen mode as of 2026-09-05. ## Friend's Pass: how a free guest joins The official Steam description states it plainly: "With Friend's Pass, your friend joins for free." One purchase covers a two-player session, and the invited player does not need to own the game to play with you. The Steam Community hub keeps a pinned guide titled around how to invite a friend with Friend's Pass, which is the source to follow for the current invite steps. Exact eligibility rules, such as whether a guest can host or continue alone afterwards, have not been documented by Firevolt beyond that guide as of 2026-09-05. Solo access is a separate question and is covered on the [WheelMates single-player page](/single-player/), since single-player is supported and a second person is not required to start. ## Crossplay between PC and consoles Not announced as of 2026-09-05. Crossplay needs at least two platforms, and Steam for Windows is currently the only confirmed one: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 versions have not been announced. That means PC-to-console play cannot exist yet, and any crossplay claim circulating in forum threads is unconfirmed. If Firevolt announces a console version on its official channels, the platform list on the [WheelMates release and platform status page](/release/) is where that change shows up first. Players comparing notes on invites and connection issues gather in the channels listed on the [WheelMates community and Discord page](/community/).
Frequently asked questions
### Can three or four players join? No. The game is built for two players; the Steam store describes a 2-player co-op driving adventure and lists no larger party size. ### Does the second player need to buy the game? No. Friend's Pass lets the invited player join for free from the host's copy, according to the official Steam store description. ### Is there local play with keyboard and one controller? Full Controller Support is listed and two controllers is the practical local setup. Firevolt has not published a supported keyboard-plus-gamepad local configuration as of 2026-09-05. ### Can PC players join console players? Not announced as of 2026-09-05. No console version has been announced, so no cross-platform pairing is confirmed.
Sources
- [Steam store page for WheelMates (AppID 3905450)](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3905450/WheelMates/) - `official/store` - checked 2026-09-05 - Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op and Shared/Split Screen feature entries, Friend's Pass free-guest wording, 2-player framing, Full Controller Support, Family Sharing, Steam Cloud - [Steam Community hub for AppID 3905450](https://steamcommunity.com/app/3905450) - `official/store` - checked 2026-09-05 - pinned Friend's Pass invite guide and the September 2 and September 4, 2026 hotfix posts covering progression and co-op fixes - [Official Firevolt landing hub wheelmatesgame.com](https://www.wheelmatesgame.com/) - `official/store` - checked 2026-09-05 - official co-op framing and channel cross-links - [Official Discord invite](https://discord.com/invite/wheelmates) - `community/video` - checked 2026-09-05 - where players coordinate co-op sessions and report connection problems
Internal Link Requirements
- `WheelMates release and platform status page` -> `/release/` - which platforms co-op is available on - `WheelMates single-player page` -> `/single-player/` - playing without a partner - `WheelMates community and Discord page` -> `/community/` - where to find a partner or report a connection issue - `WheelMates patch notes page` -> `/patch-notes/` - dated co-op and progression fixes
Fact Boundaries
- Research date for every claim on this page: 2026-09-05. - Confirmed by the Steam store page: 2-player co-op, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Shared/Split Screen, Friend's Pass free-guest access, Full Controller Support, Family Sharing, single-player support. - Crossplay between PC and PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, or Nintendo Switch 2: Not announced as of 2026-09-05. - Console versions themselves: Not announced as of 2026-09-05. - Exact Friend's Pass eligibility rules beyond the pinned Steam Community guide: not documented as of 2026-09-05. - Party sizes larger than two players and a dedicated shared screen performance target: not published as of 2026-09-05.