WheelMates Co-op Setup: Split-Screen, Online and Crossplay

The one rule: two players, always

Firevolt’s Aug 21 Q&A: “Yes. We don’t currently have plans for solo play or co-op for more than two players. We believe WheelMates is best experienced with two players, and that focus is a big part of how the game is designed.” The Steam thread asking for single-player is the most replied-to thread on the forum and has not changed the answer. If you have no partner, the official Discord is where people pair up.

Option 1: local split-screen (couch co-op)

• Added in the May 2026 demo and in the full game. One copy, one PC, two controllers. Keyboard plus one controller also works.
• Both players have the same abilities and the same car type; only the colour differs.
• Steam Deck note: during the demo a Deck player found the Play Local option hidden because the game reads a SteamDeck=1 environment variable. Adding SteamDeck=0 %command% to the game’s launch options in Steam brought it back, at the cost of the Deck-specific performance profile (menus dropped from 30 to 25 fps for that player). Docked Deck with two pads is otherwise a normal split-screen setup.
• No internet is needed once you are past the main menu; the game checks ownership when it boots.

Option 2: online with one copy (Friend’s Pass)

• The owner hosts (PLAY → PLAY ONLINE → HOST, copy the code), the friend joins from the free Friend’s Pass app (PLAY → FRIEND’S PASS → ENTER THE CODE). Full steps and the achievement rule are in the Friend’s Pass guide.
• Two owners can also play together the same way; the pass is only needed if the second player does not own the game.
• Latency: no official number. Puzzles need synced button presses and paired lever pulls, so a stable connection matters more than raw speed. A 140 to 180 ms question on the forum is unanswered.
• Demo-era patches (June 26) specifically targeted connection stability, so update before blaming your line.

Voice chat

None in the game. Firevolt: “We recommend using Discord to talk with your co-op partner. Or, if you’re playing in split-screen, just talk to each other directly.” Plan for it: half the puzzles are one player calling “up, down, stop” to the other.

Crossplay and other platforms

• Today: PC (Steam) only, so there is nothing to crossplay with.
• H1 2027: Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and Nintendo Switch versions are planned. Firevolt: “Friend’s Pass is planned for consoles as well. We’ll also do our best to support crossplay between console and Steam players.” (Launch FAQ thread, Sept 1). That is an intention, not a confirmed feature.
• Game Pass: nothing announced.
• Mac / Linux: no builds; Firevolt would “love to bring WheelMates to Mac in the future” but cannot promise it. GeForce Now has been requested by players with no developer reply.

Steam Remote Play Together

Not supported and not planned: “at the moment Steam Remote Play isn’t in our plans. We know it would help players with lower-end PCs, though, and we’ll keep the feedback in mind for the future.” (Sept 1). Friend’s Pass is the intended route for a partner with a weaker PC, though the pass still has to run the game locally; see the system requirements.

Controllers

Store page lists partial controller support with DualShock and DualSense prompts; Xbox-style XYBA icons were fixed in the May 13 demo patch via Steam Input. Both players on pads is the setup used in launch footage. Camera and steering sensitivity are per-player in settings. The controls page lists the buttons.

Who should hold which role

The cars are identical, so roles are per puzzle, not per player. The habit that works: whoever is closer to the buttons drives the machine, whoever is closer to the gap rides it, and you swap on the way back. The walkthrough names the five puzzle shapes so you can call them out.