If your keyboard or mouse stops responding, hit CTRL + ALT + DEL or press End on your keyboard (the default Nucleus hotkey) to toggle lock focus on the windows. This ensures Windows registers input to both instances simultaneously.
Because Capcom never officially supported this, achieving this setup requires community-made scripts and mods that separate Windows input focuses. Prerequisites: What You Need Before Starting
Nucleus Co-Op is a free, open-source tool that automates split screen for games that do not natively support it on PC. It opens multiple instances of the game, resizes them to fit your monitor, and locks individual input devices to specific game windows. Step 1: Preparation
Resident Evil 5 remains one of the most celebrated cooperative action games ever made. While console players enjoyed seamless couch co-op from day one, PC players were left in the dark. Capcom officially omitted local split-screen from the PC version, leaving fans frustrated. If your keyboard or mouse stops responding, hit
While the official update is great, it can be restrictive regarding screen layout and specific input configurations. For a "power user" experience—like playing on two separate monitors or forcing keyboard/controller splits in older game versions— Nucleus Co-op remains the gold standard. Why use it?
It is important to note that this method is more resource-intensive, requiring a decent CPU and GPU to run multiple game instances simultaneously.
As of 2026, Resident Evil 5 on PC officially supports local split-screen co-op through a native update, making it much easier to set up a keyboard and controller mix without complex mods. Native Setup (No Mods Required) Prerequisites: What You Need Before Starting Nucleus Co-Op
Playing is officially supported natively without third-party mods, but the game's unique quirks make it feel like an exclusive configuration secret. While Capcom's official patch 1.2.0 brought back split-screen natively to the Steam version, navigating the setup so Player 1 stays on keyboard/mouse and Player 2 takes the controller requires a precise sequence of inputs to prevent the game from mixing up the hardware.
Disclaimer: Some community patches and mods require technical skill and are used at your own risk.
Open the newly added config.ini or re5_qol.ini file in your game directory using Notepad. While console players enjoyed seamless couch co-op from
While official support usually requires two controllers, specialized community tools and older, enhanced methods allow for the highly requested "keyboard + controller" or "two-controller" setups to function flawlessly, enabling a more accessible local co-op experience.
Nucleus Co-op will now launch two distinct instances of the game, partition your monitor, and lock the keyboard to Chris and the controller to Sheva. Method 2: The RE5 Quality of Life (QoL) Mod
While the mod is functional, it is a "hack" rather than an official feature. Users may encounter:
Right-click NucleusCoop.exe and select . Step 3: Download the Resident Evil 5 Script Inside Nucleus Co-Op, click on Download Game Handlers . Search for Resident Evil 5 .