Fantasy fans have been feasting over the last few years as we've seen several hit games in this genre. The latest title to catch our eyes is Dragon's Dogma 2 from Capcom. If you've seen any of the official videos or screenshots for Dragon's Dogma 2, then you have probably seen multiple warriors working together to take down enemies. Capcom is known for its multiplayer games like the Monster Hunter series, but does Dragon's Dogma 2 have co-op multiplayer for you to enjoy with a buddy?
Does Dragon's Dogma 2 have co-op multiplayer?
No. Unlike Capcom's successful Monster Hunter series which offers co-op multiplayer, Dragon's Dogma 2 is thoroughly a single-player solo adventure. So, as much as we'd love to see it, there's no teaming up with a buddy in Dragon's Dogma 2.
The only way in which the game interacts with other players is with its Pawn system. You can hire other players' Pawn NPCs to travel in your party.
As you might have surmised, due to the solo nature of this game, Dragon's Dogma 2 does not have cross play nor does it offer cross saves. So don't expect to go jumping between playing the game on Xbox, PS5, and PC. You'll need to stick with one ecosystem and play the whole adventure there.
Now, don't be too bummed out with the lack of co-op in Dragon's Dogma 2. This challenging action RPG still provides a way to interact with your friend's special NPC character known as a Pawn, so at least there's that.
What are Dragon's Dogma 2 Pawns anyway?
Basically, near the start of Dragon's Dogma 2, each player creates their own NPC to fight alongside them — this character is known as a Pawn. A Pawn can hold different Vocations (classes that you choose). They also level up after gaining experience and can be made more powerful with the right equipment. The world of Dragon's Dogma 2 is very challenging, filled with powerful monsters that can decimate you very quickly. So, it's very helpful having a fighting companion with you on your travels.
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What's more, mystical rock structures known as Riftstones are found throughout the Dragon's Dogma 2 map. Interacting with a Riftstone allows you to enter the network and hire up to two additional Pawns that other players have made. If you have a team made up of higher-level Pawns with different vocations, you'll find battles to be a whole lot easier.
While there technically isn't any co-op multiplayer, you can still feel like you're playing the game with your friends. Just hire your friend's Pawn and they'll be fighting alongside you. Not to mention, Dragon's Dogma 2 has one of the best character creators ever made, so you could design your Pawn to look like yourself or like any other character out there that you can think of. Then your friend can take that Pawn around with them as they play. We've already seen some people create beloved characters like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, Lae'zel from Baldur's Gate 3, and emo Peter Parker from Spider-Man 3. So, you can still have fun and get creative with your friends in this way.
We can only dream for Dragon's Dogma 2 multiplayer
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Considering that Capcom is celebrated for its co-op-centered Monster Hunter series that lets you do battle against massive foes while working with friends, it's no wonder that some people assume Capcom's Dragon's Dogma 2 will also have the same multiplayer features. Unfortunately for those of us who love playing games with friends, this is not the case for Dragon's Dogma 2, though. Playing as the Arisen is purely a solo affair.
But you can almost take a friend around with you in spirit, within Dragon's Dogma 2, with the use of Pawns. These NPCs fight alongside you as you travel around. Thanks to the amazing character creator, you can design them to look like yourself, so your friends can still play Dragon's Dogma 2 with you in some fashion.
Dragon's Dogma 2 launches on March 22, 2024, on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Steam for Windows.
