TL;DR — Split Fiction, the co-op action-adventure from Hazelight Studios (creators of It Takes Two), is $32.49 on Steam (was $49.99, 35% off) as of June 15, 2026 [^steam]. IsThereAnyDeal confirms this is a new all-time low — the previous best was $34.99 (30% off, March/April 2026) [^itad]. Sale ends June 25, 2026 [^steam]. Since you need a co-op partner, the Friend’s Pass lets one copy cover two players — $16.25 each for ~15 hours of universal-acclaim co-op.
What you get for $32.49
Hazelight Studios’ follow-up to their 2021 Game of the Year winner It Takes Two [^steam]. Split Fiction is co-op only — designed from the ground up for two players (local split-screen or online). You play as Mio (sci-fi writer) and Zoe (fantasy writer) trapped in a machine stealing their creative ideas. To escape, you jump between their contrasting story worlds:
- Sci-fi stages: Cyber ninja combat, hover-car dodging, robotic parking attendants
- Fantasy stages: Dragon taming, troll escapes, magical platforming
- Side Stories: Optional portals with one-off mechanics (e.g., “water ski behind a train”)
Friend’s Pass: The game owner can invite one friend to play the full game free — the guest only needs to install the free Friend’s Pass app [^steam]. Cross-platform online play is supported (Steam ↔ PS5 ↔ Xbox ↔ Switch 2).
Key specs: 85 GB storage, requires EA Account + persistent internet [^steam], Steam Deck Verified (Proton: Platinum) [^protondb].
Price history: The receipts (IsThereAnyDeal, not marketing)
| Rank | Price | Store | Date | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $32.49 | Steam | Jun 15, 2026 | NEW all-time low — 35% off [^itad] |
| 2 | $32.49 | EA Store | Jun 15, 2026 | Matches Steam, 23 days left [^itad] |
| 3 | $34.99 | Steam | Apr 23, 2026 | Previous low — 30% off [^itad] |
| 4 | $34.99 | EA Store | Mar 11, 2026 | Previous low — 30% off [^itad] |
| 5 | $49.99 | Epic Games Store | Current | No discount [^itad] |
| — | $49.99 | All stores | Launch (Mar 2025) | Full price |
The pattern: 30% off ($34.99) happened twice (March & April 2026). 35% off ($32.49) is a new floor — the deepest discount since launch. Sale ends June 25 on Steam, ~23 days on EA Store [^itad].
💡 MoneyMind Take: At $32.49 you’re $2.50 below the previous historical low. For a 15-hour co-op masterpiece rated 97% positive, this is the price to buy. If you and a partner have any interest, grab it now — the Friend’s Pass means $16.25 each for ~15 hours of universal-acclaim co-op.
Critical reception: universal acclaim, but not flawless
The consensus: Metacritic 93, OpenCritic 98% recommend, Steam 97% positive (74,784 reviews) [^mc][^oc][^steam]. Critics call it “contender for best game of 2025” (GameSpot, perfect score), “co-op masterpiece” (GameReactor UK, top marks), “best co-op experience today” (Inverse, highest rating).
Where it loses points (the differentiation):
– Hard co-op requirement — no solo mode, no AI partner. If your partner quits, you stop. Several critics noted this limits accessibility [^mc].
– EA Account + persistent internet mandatory — even for local split-screen. Offline play impossible. A friction point for some [^steam].
– Pacing spikes — a few reviewers (Edge, Polygon) felt some one-off mechanics overstay their welcome or feel under-tutorialized [^mc].
– Story beats familiar — the “corporate steals creativity” metaphor echoes It Takes Two‘s themes. Some found it less emotionally resonant second time around [^mc].
– 85 GB install — large for a 15-hour game. SSD space matters [^steam].
Bottom line on reception: The high scores are earned — the moment-to-moment co-op design is best-in-class. But the “perfect 10” scores don’t mean flawless; they mean the highs vastly outweigh the specific, known limitations above.
System requirements & compatibility
| Spec | Minimum (1080p/30 Low) | Recommended (1440p/60 High) |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10/11 64-bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| CPU | i5-6600K / Ryzen 5 2600X | i7-11700K / Ryzen 7 5800X |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | GTX 970 4GB / RX 470 4GB | RTX 3070 8GB / RX 6700 XT 12GB |
| Storage | 85 GB | 85 GB |
| Network | Broadband (persistent) | Broadband (persistent) |
Linux / Steam Deck: ProtonDB Platinum — works out of the box [^protondb]. Steam Deck Verified [^steam].
Account requirements: Steam Account + EA Account (must be linked) [^steam]. Persistent internet mandatory. EA User Agreement acceptance required. No offline mode.
How to verify this deal yourself (step-by-step)
- Open the Steam store page — price shows $32.49 with crossed-out $49.99 and “35% OFF” badge. Sale end date reads “Ends June 25” [^steam].
- Check SteamDB price history — confirms 35% off is the deepest discount recorded; previous low $34.99 (30%) [^steamdb].
- Check IsThereAnyDeal — all-time low $32.49 recorded June 15, 2026 on Steam and EA Store. Epic at $49.99 full price [^itad].
- Verify Friend’s Pass: Steam page “Friend’s Pass” section explains the free guest install process [^steam].
- Verify system requirements: Steam page “System Requirements” tab lists 85 GB, GTX 970 minimum, EA Account required [^steam].
All sources checked live June 15, 2026. Prices in USD; regional pricing may vary.
How to buy (if you decide to)
- Open Steam store page or EA Store.
- Add to cart → checkout at $32.49 (or $38.23 for Game + Soundtrack bundle).
- Install ~85 GB. Launch → link EA Account → invite friend via Friend’s Pass.
- Friend installs free Friend’s Pass → join via invite → play full game free.
One copy = two players. No second purchase needed.
Buy-vs-Wait: The decision matrix
| You are… | Action | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Have a co-op partner ready this month | Buy | New all-time low ($32.49), 15h masterpiece, $16.25 each with Friend’s Pass. |
| No partner yet, but want to play eventually | Buy | Price unlikely to drop further soon; previous low $34.99 held for months. Gift a copy later. |
| Backlog buyer (play in 3+ months) | Buy | 35% is the new floor. Next sale (Autumn) might hit 40% ($30) but not guaranteed. |
| Only play single-player games | Skip | Hard co-op requirement — cannot solo. No AI partner. |
| Don’t want EA Account / persistent internet | Skip | Mandatory for this title. No offline mode, no workaround. |
| Waiting for 40%+ off | Wait | Possible Autumn Sale (Nov), but $34.99 held for months. $2.50 saved vs $32.49 — your call. |
Sale pressure: Steam sale ends June 25 (9 days). EA Store sale runs ~23 days. The 35% is the deepest discount to date.
How this compares to the co-op competition
| Game | Status | Current Price | Co-op Type | Playtime | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split Fiction | 1.0 (2025) | $32.49 | Mandatory 2P, split-screen/online | ~15 hrs | 93 |
| It Takes Two | 1.0 (2021) | $19.99 (often) | Mandatory 2P, split-screen/online | ~14 hrs | 89 |
| A Way Out | 1.0 (2018) | $9.99 (often) | Mandatory 2P, split-screen/online | ~6 hrs | 79 |
| Baldur’s Gate 3 | 1.0 (2023) | $59.99 | Optional 2-4P, online only | 60+ hrs | 96 |
| Deep Rock Galactic | 1.0 (2020) | $29.99 | 1-4P, online | Endless | 93 |
It Takes Two at ~$20 is the better value if you haven’t played it — same studio, same co-op magic, cheaper. But Split Fiction at $32.49 is the better buy if you’ve finished It Takes Two and want more of that exact design philosophy — more varied mechanics, better polish, stronger writing.
The “should you wait for Autumn Sale?” calculation
| Scenario | Buy now ($32.49) | Wait for Autumn (est. $30) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Play in June/July | $32.49 | N/A (miss 3 months) | — |
| Play in November | $32.49 | $30 (if 40% happens) | $2.49 saved |
| Play in November, no 40% sale | $32.49 | $34.99 (30% again) | $2.50 lost |
| Never play (backlog) | $32.49 | $30–$35 | $2.50–$5 risk |
The math: You risk $2.50 to save $2.50, but you lose 3–5 months of potential playtime. For a 15-hour game, that’s a poor trade unless you’re certain you won’t play until November and a 40% sale materializes. The 30% floor has held for 6 months; 40% is speculative.
Bottom Line
Split Fiction at $32.49 (35% off) is a new all-time low for Hazelight’s co-op masterpiece.
- Cost: $32.49 (was $49.99) — verified live on Steam June 15, 2026
- Historical low: $32.49 (this week) — beats previous $34.99 (30% off, Mar/Apr 2026)
- Sale ends: June 25, 2026 (Steam) / ~23 days (EA Store)
- Time investment: ~14–16 hours for the full experience
- Co-op cost: $16.25 per person with Friend’s Pass
- Risk: Low. Universal acclaim (97% Steam, 93 Metacritic), active dev, no MTX.
- Known limitations: Hard co-op mandatory, EA Account + internet required, 85 GB, familiar themes.
- Verdict: If you have a co-op partner and want the best 2-player game since It Takes Two → buy now. If no partner yet but plan to play → buy now, gift later. Solo-only → skip.
Related: It Takes Two review, Best co-op games 2026, A Way Out deal.
Sources
[^steam]: Steam store page — live verified Jun 15, 2026, price, sale end, specs, reviews, Friend’s Pass details
[^itad]: IsThereAnyDeal — all-time low $32.49 recorded Jun 15, 2026, price history, store comparison
[^steamdb]: SteamDB — concurrent players, price history, peak players
[^mc]: Metacritic — critic scores, review excerpts including critical points
[^oc]: OpenCritic — aggregated critic consensus
[^protondb]: ProtonDB — Linux/Steam Deck compatibility
[^hltb]: HowLongToBeat — playtime estimates
Deal verified live June 15, 2026. Price: $32.49 (was $49.99). Discount: 35%. Expires June 25, 2026.
Editorial note: Citation cleanup: we trimmed duplicate citation links that repeated the same source after multiple paragraphs. Every fact and quote is unchanged; the source remains cited where each claim appears.
