*Split Fiction* is coming to the Chinese mainland! This split-screen co-op hit is about to blow up again.

What first caught my eye wasn’t the news of the China release itself, but the way it forcefully stitches sci-fi and fantasy into a two-player co-op progression framework. The idea feels a bit like It Takes Two pushing even further, while also resembling two completely opposite indie novels being stuffed into the same machine that devours creativity. For a player like me who has spent years immersed in pixel-art indie games, this design-first, setting-in-service-of-gameplay approach really hits the spot.

Based on the information released so far, on April 3, 2026, the China version of Split Fiction will officially launch on PS5 and other major platforms. The developer is Hazelight Studios, the same team behind It Takes Two. The new game is still positioned as a co-op action-adventure, retaining the split-screen interaction that was at the heart of its predecessor, while expanding the worldbuilding from a single fairy-tale tone into a more complex structure where sci-fi and fantasy coexist.

The protagonists are also quite interesting: one is the sci-fi novelist Mio, and the other is the fantasy novelist Zoe. The two are trapped inside an evil machine built specifically to steal creativity, and can only survive by entering the worlds they themselves created. What they need to do is not simply run through levels and fight monsters, but search together for the “glitches” within these worlds and stop a conspiracy aimed at creativity itself. Speaking of which, it gives me the feeling of Portal 2’s two-player puzzle-solving chemistry colliding with the constant stream of fresh ideas that defined It Takes Two.

What will truly resonate with a broad range of players is that Hazelight clearly understands the accessibility barrier of co-op games. This game continues to offer the “Friend’s Pass”: after one person buys it, they can invite one friend on any platform to play online together for free from start to finish. On top of that, it supports both local split-screen and cross-platform online play, which basically lowers the problem of “not being able to find a partner” to a minimum. For couples, roommates, or a group of close friends, this kind of design is far more practical than simply piling on visual spectacle.

This time, the China PS5 physical edition also has some collectible value. The front of the box uses a textured laminated finish, giving it a slightly matte and raised feel to the touch—the kind of packaging that makes you want to take a second look when holding it. Inside is a standard PS5 Blu-ray data disc printed with the main key visual, with the disc surface following a minimalist line-art style. More importantly, the physical disc includes the full single-player and online co-op data, rather than being one of those so-called “boxed versions” that look complete but still require a massive patch download once you get home.

If you liked It Takes Two, then there’s almost no reason to hesitate with Split Fiction—it’s the kind of game you can add straight to your list. If you don’t usually play co-op games, though, I’d actually suggest first making sure you have a reliable partner, because the biggest problem with this type of game isn’t difficulty, but not having someone to fully engage with its mechanics alongside you. Still, judging from its genre blending, continued split-screen focus, and online convenience, it has already hit several of the most important marks for a co-op game.

What’s interesting is that while many big-budget titles are still competing over the scale of their open worlds, Hazelight keeps digging deeper into the “two-player experience” path. It may not burn money in every direction like a 3A blockbuster, but it feels more like an amplified version of an excellent indie game: find one strong core idea, then keep finding inventive ways to build on it. As long as the later level design doesn’t stumble, Split Fiction will very likely become one of the standout favorites in the next wave of party co-op games.