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Split-screen on PC

Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop

Up to 8 players on one PC, with controllers, keyboard and mouse or several keyboards and mice.

8Verified handler

Handler “AlienSwarmReactiveDrop” by Talos91, version 4

What works

With Nucleus Co-op, up to 8 players can play Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop together on one PC, each in their own part of the screen, with controllers, keyboard and mouse or several keyboards and mice. The free community handler “AlienSwarmReactiveDrop” by Talos91 does the setup and was checked by hub moderators: version 4, updated . Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop is a shooter game from 2017.

  • Players8
  • ControllersSupported
  • Keyboard and mouseSupported
  • Several keyboards and miceOne per player
  • Hub moderatorsVerified

How to play Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop split screen on PC

  1. Get Nucleus Co-op

    Download Nucleus Co-op, free for Windows 10 and 11, and unzip it into its own folder, for example C:\NucleusCo-op. There is no installer.

    Keep it out of Program Files, your user folder and OneDrive.

    Download Nucleus Co-op

  2. Install the Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop handler

    In Nucleus Co-op, search the Hub for Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop and install its handler, or download the handler file from this page and drop it on the Nucleus window. Then show Nucleus where Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop is installed.

    Download the handler file (.nc)

  3. Take a seat

    Each player presses a button on their own controller to join and takes a spot on the screen. Pick a layout that fits your players.

    Playing with several keyboards and mice? Press End once everything is in place to give each window its own cursor.

  4. Launch and connect

    Press Launch: Nucleus opens one copy of Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop per player and lays the windows out on your screen. Then link them in game, usually one player hosts a LAN or online session and the others join it. The handler notes say how.

What you need

  • A Windows 10 or 11 PC

    Nucleus Co-op runs on Windows only. System requirements

  • Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop for Windows

    Installed on that PC. Nucleus starts every player's window from that one install.

  • Nucleus Co-op, free

    With .NET Framework 4.7.2 or later and the Visual C++ 2015–2022 runtimes (x86 and x64). Download

  • Something to play with

    One controller per player, or one keyboard and mouse per player. Controllers · Keyboards and mice

  • A PC that can run 8 copies

    Each player runs their own copy of Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop, so the PC carries several times the usual load. Lower the graphics settings if it struggles. Performance tips

  • A multiplayer mode

    Nucleus links the windows through the game's own LAN or online mode; the handler takes care of it.

Handler notes

Host a friends only lobby and join in the other instances using the play with friends option. Use your main mouse cursor to navigate the menus if something is not selectable with gamepad.

If you use keyboards and mice after all the instances have launched, resized and positioned correctly, press the END key once to lock the input for all instances to have their own working cursor and keyboard, you need to left click each mouse to make the emulated cursors appear after locking the input. Press the escape key if the emulated mouse cursor does not hide in-game. Press the END key again to unlock the input when you finish playing.

PCGamingWiki page.

Authors and Contributors of this handler: Talos91 from the Split Screen Dreams Discord and the original authors of the first Nucleus Co-op handler including lucasassislar.

About Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop

Co-operative top-down shooter game available for free. An epic bug hunt featuring a unique blend of co-op play and squad-level tactics. Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop extends Alien Swarm, bringing more of everything: maps, aliens, game modes, guns... And most importantly Steam Workshop support.

Summary from IGDB

Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop screenshots

  • Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop screenshot 1
  • Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop screenshot 2
  • Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop screenshot 3
  • Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop screenshot 4
  • Alien Swarm: Reactive Drop screenshot 5

Version history

  1. v4Current

    fixed crashing on startup and added mkb support.

    VerifiedDownload (1.1 MB)
  2. v3

    connection fix and other fixes.

    VerifiedDownload (1.6 KB)
  3. v2

    fixed saving

    VerifiedDownload (1.4 KB)
  4. v1

    First release

    UnverifiedDownload (1.5 KB)

Version details, files and scripts

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