Phasmophobia Nucleus Co-Op Guide
Phasmophobia local split-screen via Nucleus Co-Op supports 2-4 ghost hunters investigating haunted locations on a single PC.
Get game setup in NucleusRequirements
How to Set Up Phasmophobia Split-Screen
Phasmophobia has a dedicated Nucleus handler for the non-VR version. Audio configuration per instance requires extra attention to avoid all sound playing through one device.
- 1.
Install game setup
Search 'Phasmophobia' in Nucleus and install. Point to Phasmophobia.exe in Steam\steamapps\common\Phasmophobia.
- 2.
Configure Virtual Audio (Recommended)
Download and install Virtual Audio Cable (free version). Create one virtual audio output per instance so each player hears only their own game audio. Assign outputs in Windows Sound Settings > App volume and device preferences.
- 3.
Assign Controllers
Assign Xbox-style controller controllers in the Nucleus UI. Phasmophobia also works with separate keyboard/mouse pairs per instance.
- 4.
Host Investigation
Click Play. In the first instance, create a public or friends-only lobby. In the second, join via lobby code or Steam friends list.
Tips
Virtual Audio Cable (VB-Audio) is free and essential for proper audio separation across Phasmophobia instances.
Phasmophobia's in-game proximity voice chat works correctly per instance when separate audio devices are assigned.
The Ascension update (2023) added significant new maps and ghost types — make sure your handler is updated to the latest version on the Nucleus game library.
Lower shadow quality and resolution scale per instance — Phasmophobia can be GPU-intensive in larger maps.
Nightmare and Insanity difficulty modes work the same way in the Nucleus split-screen setup.
Common Issues
All Phasmophobia instances play audio through the same speaker +
Phasmophobia instances can't join each other's lobby +
Phasmophobia crashes on launch via Nucleus +
About Phasmophobia Split-Screen
Phasmophobia is a co-operative horror investigation game by Kinetic Games where up to 4 players use ghost-hunting equipment to identify the type of ghost haunting a location. Since its 2020 Early Access launch it has sold over 10 million copies and continues receiving major updates.
The game's tense atmosphere, randomized ghost behavior, and voice recognition features make it particularly compelling in local split-screen. Each player has their own equipment loadout and can explore the haunted location independently while communicating findings.
The main complexity in the Phasmophobia Nucleus setup is audio. Without proper virtual audio routing, all instances share the same audio output — meaning ghost sounds, radio chatter, and jump scares all play simultaneously from one source. VB-Audio Virtual Cable solves this cleanly.
Phasmophobia has received major content updates including the Ascension update which added a level progression system, new ghost types, and map reworks. All content released to date works in the Nucleus split-screen configuration. Handler updates typically follow within a few days of major game patches.
