After taking the top prize of Game of the Year during the 2021 Game Awards, It Takes Two has probably moved into many more game libraries and wishlists. The endearing co-op game beat giants like Deathloop, Resident Evil Village, and Metroid Dread. It is available across multiple platforms including PC and can be purchased through either the Steam launcher or the Origin launcher.
For players new to Steam or new to co-op games through Steam, setting up and playing It Takes Two can be a little convoluted. The game is published by EA and therefore will require both a Steam account and an Origin account to play.Only one person has to purchase the game for two to play, as the co-op can be accessed through a friend code. Setting the game up will take a few steps, but it shouldn't be hard for friends to hop right in!
Step 1: Make Both An Origin Account & A Steam Account
Though It Takes Two can be purchased with Steam, the game is published by EA. This means that the game will launch through EA's own launcher, called Origin. As such, both players will need Steam and Origin accounts. This shouldn't be too much of a hassle to set up though!
The Steam app can be accessed here while Origin can be downloaded here. Both accounts will need basic information like name, date of birth, email address, and a created password. The player looking to purchase the copy of It Takes Two will also need to add payment info.
Step 2: Make Space For The Game
It Takes Two is a surprisingly large game. Don't be fooled by the cute graphics and seemingly simple nature of the game. This title offers plenty of content with full cutscenes and will require a decent chunk of space as a result.
Players on PC will need to free up at least 50 GB of space for the game to install. When installing the game, it will probably install through the created Origin account instead of Steam, but it can still be launched through Steam.
Step 3: Download The Game & Get The Friend Pass
Once the game has been purchased by one of the two people planning to play, they should download the game as normal. It may take a while, as it is a fairly large game. In the meantime, the second player should work on downloading the friend pass copy of the game through the Origin store. The friend pass cannot be downloaded through Steam! As such, the second player should open Origin and browse for It Takes Two.
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Clicking on the game will show the price and basic info about the game. Below the orange "Purchase" button, there should be an option to download the friend pass. Unless the second player is looking to support the developers with a second purchase, they should click the "Get Friend's Pass" button! This will allow them to connect with their friend who has already purchased the game. Two people cannot play the game with two friend passes — one person must own the game!
Step 4: Getting Into A Lobby
Once both players have the game downloaded, the player who has purchased the game will need to create a multiplayer lobby. The player sporting the friend pass cannot make the lobby, they can only connect to the lobby via an invite through Origin! The lobby can be made by selecting the "Play Online" option in the main menu.
Once in the lobby, the first player must send an invite to their friend via Origin. Direct invites can only be sent between Origin friends, so be sure to have both Steam accounts and Origin accounts already friended to smooth out the process!
Step 5: Select Characters & Prepare To Play
Now for the fun part! It Takes Two centers around a distressed married couple, and each player will play as one side of the marriage. One player will play the wife May while the other takes control of Cody, the husband. Once players have their characters chosen, they will be ready to dive right into the game!
The initial setup will be the most difficult, especially if neither party has a Steam account or Origin account. Subsequent play sessions will be much easier, as the player owning the game will simply remake the lobby and invite their friend again.
Additional Help
Players confused about any function of Steam, Origin, or the friend pass should be sure to read carefully in the downloaded apps. Both Steam and Origin have extensive resources for people stuck trying to figure something out.
In the downloaded desktop Steam app at the very top of the screen, players can find a "Help" tab that answers all sorts of questions. Origin's "Help" tab can be found in the exact same spot, all the way at the top of the screen. Players looking to learn more about the It Takes Two friend pass can learn more about it via the game's store page in Origin.
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