Can you play Alone in the Dark co-op?

Will you truly be Alone in the Dark?

Edward and Emily looking at Jeremy's painting in Alone in the Dark
Screenshot by Dot Esports

The newest installment in the Alone in the Dark video game series gives players a choice between two characters who are investigating a home for the mentally fatigued called Decreto Manor. 

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The story will differ depending on whether you choose to play as David Harbour’s Edward Carnby or Jodie Comer’s Emily Hartwood. With this split narrative, it’s not surprising that some fans have been wondering if multiplayer is possible with Alone in the Dark. If you are a potential player who wants to know more, keep reading to learn more about the subject. 

Is co-op available in Alone in the Dark?

Emily Hartwood and Edward Carnby in Alone in the Dark.
Despite featuring two protagonists, Alone in the Dark is not a co-op game. Image by THQ Nordic

No, co-op is not a feature that is available in Alone in the Dark. The player will choose between Edward or Emily at the beginning of the game. Whoever you choose will change the story that you play through. However, there is no opportunity for one player to take on one of these two characters and another to take on the other to play co-operatively. 

The game might have two protagonists, but it is a single-player narrative survival horror game, and you need to play through the game twice—once as each character—to experience the narrative in its entirety. Even though it seems like there could have been a possibility of a cooperative, two-player experience with Emily and Edward, this is not the case. 

Are there multiplayer modes in Alone in the Dark?

Edward with Ruth walking away from him in Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark is a wholly single-player experience. Screenshot by Dot Esports

There are also no multiplayer modes included in Alone in the Dark. As mentioned, the game is focused purely on a single-player experience, so multiplayer game modes wouldn’t fit into the structure that the developer was going for. 

It’s somewhat surprising that multiplayer and co-op are not included in the new Alone in the Dark, as the previous game—Alone in the Dark: Illumination—did include this feature. Illumination featured a co-op structure that allowed up to four people to join forces and solve a mystery together, but it was completely panned by fans and critics alike. 

The new developer for the latest Alone in the Dark, Pieces Interactive, clearly wanted to veer away from this structure and start fresh, and there have been marginal improvements in reviews—we happen to love the game. This means you will be disappointed if you are planning to play the latest Alone in the Dark with friends, but you can still have a lot of fun with the single-player narrative.

Author
Image of Antonia Haynes
Antonia Haynes
Antonia Haynes is a freelance general gaming writer for Dot Esports who resides in a small seaside town in England where she has lived her whole life. Beginning her video game writing career back in 2014, and having an avid love of gaming since childhood, she became a staff writer in 2018 before becoming freelance in 2023 with her role at Dot Esports. Her ideal day would consist of junk food, fluffy pyjamas and video games because quite frankly going outside is overrated.