Split-screen on PC

Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair

Up to 4 players on one PC, with controllers or keyboard and mouse.

4Verified handler

Handler “EDF-4.1” by Talos91, version 4

What works

With Nucleus Co-op, up to 4 players can play Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair together on one PC, each in their own part of the screen, with controllers or keyboard and mouse. The free community handler “EDF-4.1” by Talos91 does the setup and was checked by hub moderators: version 4, updated 27 Jul 2021. Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair is a shooter and adventure game from 2015.

Players4
ControllersSupported
Keyboard and mouseSupported
Several keyboards and miceNot supported
Hub moderatorsVerified

How to play Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair split screen on PC

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
Install the Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair handler
In Nucleus Co-op, search the Hub for Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair and install its handler, or download the handler file from this page and drop it on the Nucleus window. Then show Nucleus where Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair is installed.
Download the handler file (.nc)
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.
Launch and connect
Press Launch: Nucleus opens one copy of Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair 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
Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair 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; one player can use the keyboard and mouse. Controllers
A PC that can run 4 copies
Each player runs their own copy of Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair, 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

Guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/localmultiplayergames/comments/bln918/earth_defense_force_41_local_4_player_coop/

Authors and Contributors of this handler: Talos91 from the Split Screen Dreams Discord.

About Earth Defense Force 4.1 - The Shadow of New Despair

This updated version of Earth Defense Force 2025 marks the series first current-gen appearance. It sports improved performance, new content amounting to more than 50 percent of the original, two-player local co-op, and four player online co-op. The game is also being ported to PC "It's a fight for the future of the planet between the Ravagers, a merciless swarm of alien invaders, and the Earth Defense Force (EDF) in this third-person shooter. As an EDF soldier you will go head to head in fierce combat against the hordes of giant alien insects and their slaughtering machines. Play as four different classes in over 80 missions with a range of 800 weapons at your disposal. The most overwhelmingly numerous forces of Ravagers the series has ever seen will take the EDF fighters to the depths of despair and back! Online co-op play supported."

Summary from IGDB