Half-Life: split-screen, player count and online multiplayer

19 Nov 1998
32players
Under 30 min

FPS · 1990's · Sci-fi

Valve's 1998 shooter: a scientist fights his way out of a research base after an experiment tears open a door to another world.

96%Overwhelmingly positive120,000 Steam reviewsMetascore 96510 playing nowSteam Deck verified

Who can play

No split-screen on any platform.
Same room, own screens for up to 32 players on PC.
Online for up to 32 players on PC.
Each player online needs their own copy.

SteamPrice on SteamGet it

A copy each

How it plays

The story is single-player.
Together you get classic deathmatchHost a server on a home network or online and race around small arenas for the best weapons.
It is fast, old-fashioned and harsh on newcomers, but runs on almost any PC.
Everyone needs a copy.

Action
Competitive

Is it good

96%

Overwhelmingly positive on Steam

of 120,000 reviewsRead on Steam (opens the store in a new tab)

96MetascoreMetacritic (Metascore; opens Metacritic in a new tab)

510 playing on Steam, counted dailySteam Deck Verified

Every way to play together

No split-screen. Online versus for up to 32 on PC. LAN play versus for up to 32 on PC. 96% positive of 120,000 Steam reviews.

- PC
PCEditor (how we check facts)
Same screen
No
Same room, own screens
32players, versus, side modes only
Deathmatch only; the story is single-player.
Online
32players, versus, side modes only
Deathmatch only; the story is single-player.

Quick facts

Developer: Valve
Platforms: PC
Released: 19 Nov 1998 on PC
14 Feb 2013 on Mac and Linux
Controllers: Full controller support on PC, PlayStation controllers too
Languages: Text in 8 languages, voices in 8

Answers

Updated October 27, 2026

Does Half-Life have couch co-op?: No. Half-Life has no same-screen multiplayer; play it together online instead.
How many players can play Half-Life together?: Local versus on separate screens for up to 32 on PC. Online versus for up to 32 on PC.
Do you need two copies of Half-Life?: Yes. Each player online needs their own copy.
What platforms is Half-Life on?: PC.
Does Half-Life work on Steam Deck?: Yes: Steam rates it Verified for Steam Deck.
Is Half-Life free?: No, it's a paid game.

More about the game

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