Nothing quite beats the feeling of crowding around a single TV with some friends, grabbing a few controllers, and talking trash during a tight baseball game. If you're looking to set up some local multiplayer action in MLB The Show 26, you might be searching through the menus looking for a traditional split-screen option.
Here is a quick breakdown of how local couch play works this year, how to get your controllers connected, and the specific gameplay modes you can jump into.
Understanding the Screen Layout
First things first: if you are looking for a literal "split-screen" option where the display cuts down the middle, you won't find it here. MLB The Show 26 handles local multiplayer on a single, shared screen view. Because baseball naturally focuses on the central battle between the pitcher and the batter, a shared camera perspective works perfectly and preserves the full graphical fidelity of the stadium. The game allows up to four players to jump into the action simultaneously on a single console for both competitive and cooperative matchups.
How to Set Up Local Multiplayer
Getting your friends into the game is simple, but you need to make sure your console recognizes everyone properly before launching a match. Just follow these steps:

1. Connect Your Controllers: Turn on and sync all the controllers (anywhere from two to four) to your console.
2. Assign Console Profiles: Make sure each active controller is signed into its own separate console profile. If your friends don't have accounts on your system, signing them in as a temporary guest account works perfectly.
3. Head to Play Now: From the main menu of MLB The Show 26, navigate over to the Play Now or Offline hub.
4. Select Exhibition Mode: Choose the standard Exhibition option. This is your go-to destination for launching a quick, straightforward local match.
5. Assign Teams: On the team selection screen, you will see icons representing each connected controller. Simply move your controller icon to the left or right side to choose which team you want to play for.
6. Launch the Game: Lock in your favorite stadium, customize the weather and time of day, set your starting lineups, and you are ready to play.

Available Local Gameplay Modes
Once you are on the team selection screen, how you arrange the controllers determines exactly what kind of match you will experience:

• Competitive Matchups (1v1 or 2v2): If you want to face off against each other, place the opposing controllers on opposite sides of the team selection screen. You can go head-to-head in a classic 1v1 game, or pair up for a 2v2 battle on the diamond.
• Couch Co-op: If you would rather team up against the AI, slide both controllers onto the exact same side. When playing on the same team, MLB The Show 26 automatically splits up the action. The game alternates player responsibilities between batting, pitching, and fielding every inning or individual plate appearance, keeping everyone involved.
• Franchise Mode Co-op: You aren't limited to one-off exhibition matches. If you are running a long-term Franchise Mode season, a friend can join you for any game. Before loading into a scheduled Franchise match, just move the second controller over to your team's side on the pre-game screen to play the season together.

Important Local Play Limitations
While local play is an absolute blast, there are two main restrictions to keep in mind when planning your game night:

• The Pitch-Guessing Factor: Since the game shares a single camera angle rather than splitting the screen, the player at bat can see exactly where the pitching player is aiming and what pitch type they are selecting. If you are playing competitively, you'll need to rely on the honor system, old-school screen-blocking, or just embrace the pure psychological guessing game!
• Online Restrictions: You cannot use local couch co-op to jump into online matchmaking modes. Popular multiplayer suites like Diamond Dynasty Co-Op strictly require one player per console across network play. Local multiplayer is strictly built for offline enjoyment.