Halo Infinite's splitscreen co-op glitch still works on Xbox Series X|S—here's how to restore local co-op with friends.
I still remember the cold slap of that announcement. It was 2022, and 343 Industries had just confirmed that local campaign splitscreen co-op for Halo Infinite—a mode they'd promised—was being canceled. "In order to improve and accelerate ongoing live service development... we have reallocated studio resources and are no longer working on local campaign splitscreen co-op," the statement read. Fast forward to 2026, and the game has evolved through countless updates, seasonal shifts, and community mods. But that missing feature still feels like a phantom limb for those of us who grew up sharing a couch and a screen. So when I heard that a menu glitch still lets you play splitscreen co-op on Xbox Series X|S, I had to try it myself.
The glitch comes from the French fan community known as HaloCreation. Back in 2022, they posted a tutorial showing how to add up to three local players (four total) to a campaign session. They noted that on Series X, the menu glitch worked without crashes in cutscenes or AI issues. "Never thought I would have to go through this to play with friends at home," they wrote—a sentiment that resonates even louder in 2026, when online connectivity is assumed but couch co-op remains a sacred ritual. The method is surprisingly simple, like finding a spare key under a doormat that the landlord swore didn't exist. Here's the step-by-step breakdown I used:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Open the campaign menu and load a saved game. |
| 2️⃣ | Click the play button. |
| 3️⃣ | When "loading map" appears, open your friends list and join a friend. |
| 4️⃣ | Leave your fireteam. |
| 5️⃣ | In the custom lobby under "server," select "offline." |
| 6️⃣ | Connect your other controllers. |
I fired up my Series X on a rainy Saturday in 2026, half expecting the trick to be patched out. It wasn't. Within minutes, my living room transformed into a makeshift fireteam hub. Three friends grabbed controllers, and we dropped into the Zeta Halo campaign. No crashes. No AI hiccups. Just the chaotic joy of shouting callouts at people sitting elbow-to-elbow. 🎮
The glitch is like a secret handshake passed down in a treehouse club that the adults tried to demolish. It shouldn't work, but it does—and that small act of defiance feels sweet. Canceling splitscreen was like removing the passenger seat from a car and calling it a solo experience. 343's roadmap back then delayed Season 3 to March 2023, and the studio pivoted hard toward live service. Yet here we are in 2026, and the community has kept this workaround alive through word of mouth, forum posts, and stubborn love.
Of course, it's not perfect. The glitch requires a friend who owns the game and a bit of menu gymnastics. Cutscenes occasionally stutter when four players are crammed into the same room, and you can forget about using it for online matchmaking. But for local campaign nights? It's a godsend. I watched my buddy's kid grab a controller and immediately drive a Warthog off a cliff—the same stupid grin I had at his age. That's what splitscreen is about: shared failure, shared laughter, shared screen.
In 2026, Halo Infinite is a different beast. New seasons, new maps, new battle passes. But the absence of official splitscreen still stings. The glitch is a stubborn weed that refuses to be uprooted, a reminder that players will always find a way to play together. HaloCreation's tutorial might be years old, but its spirit is timeless. So if you've got an Xbox Series X|S, a few controllers, and friends who don't mind sitting close, give it a shot. Just don't tell the landlord. 😉
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