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Split-screen on PC

Sons of the Forest

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

8Verified handler

Handler “Sons of the Forest” by Talos91, version 4

What works

With Nucleus Co-op, up to 8 players can play Sons of the Forest 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 “Sons of the Forest” by Talos91 does the setup and was checked by hub moderators: version 4, updated . Sons of the Forest is a simulation, adventure and indie game from 2024.

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

How to play Sons of the Forest 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 Sons of the Forest handler

    In Nucleus Co-op, search the Hub for Sons of the Forest and install its handler, or download the handler file from this page and drop it on the Nucleus window. Then show Nucleus where Sons of the Forest 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 Sons of the Forest 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

  • Sons of the Forest 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 Sons of the Forest, 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

  • Fully CLOSE Steam before using this. Only working with the latest Steam version of the game, you need the og steam_api64.dll.

  • Split-screen setup guide.

  • Host a multiplayer game in one instance and join in the others. Create a lobby before the second instance loads if you have issues connecting the instances. Set the correct custom resolution in the game graphics settings if the instances resize on their own once you get in-game or use CTRL+R, you need to create custom resolutions in your AMD/Nvidia/Intel panel (for example for a 1920x1080 monitor add custom resolutions like: 960x1080, 960x540, 1920x540 etc.) so the game can see them and you can select them in-game.

  • 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 END key again to unlock the input when you finish playing. You can also use CTRL+Q to close Nucleus and all its instances when the input is unlocked.

  • Read the FAQ if you have any further questions and want to know more about Nucleus Co-op.

  • Handler by Talos91 and Mikou27. Please support the Nucleus Co-op team if you like our work.

About Sons of the Forest

Sent to find a missing billionaire on a remote island, you find yourself in a cannibal-infested hellscape. Craft, build, and struggle to survive, alone or with friends, in this terrifying new open-world survival horror simulator.

Summary from IGDB

Sons of the Forest screenshots

  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 1
  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 2
  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 3
  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 4
  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 5
  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 6
  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 7
  • Sons of the Forest screenshot 8

Version history

  1. v4Current

    Cleaning and new gb files

    VerifiedDownload (14.4 MB)
  2. v3

    config path edit fix

    VerifiedDownload (13.8 MB)
  3. v2

    updated with goldberg fork thanks to Zensuu

    VerifiedDownload (13.8 MB)
  4. v1

    First Release

    VerifiedDownload (3.0 KB)

Version details, files and scripts

Comments 4

  • Dunderheadz

    Works perfectly!

  • sasukekrayzi

    Perfect!

  • bulletdzr25

    Will there be an update? Otherwise it doesn’t separate on one screen, but you can play on two

    • Talos91

      You have to set it to windowed and select the proper custom resolution like this guide mentions.

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