Why co-op shooters are back
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 was announced this week, the genre’s most underrated entry getting a sequel four years after the original. That sits next to the broader squad-shooter renaissance: extraction shooters keep growing, milsim co-op is mainstream again, and the line between “team PvP” and “co-op vs the world” keeps blurring on every platform.
On Android the shape is a little different. Pure PvE squad shooters (the Fireteam, Vermintide, Helldivers shape) are rare on phones, and the co-op category is dominated by team-mode multiplayer where you and a friend pile into a 5v5 lobby together. That still counts: friend-list mattering, mic-coordinated pushes, revives, the works. We grouped both shapes here.
Below are seven co-op shooter games for Android worth playing with friends, ranked by squad-up smoothness, voice chat quality, and how well the controls work without a controller. We tested each on a mid-range phone over a single weekend, and most of them have a free entry path.
What to look for in a co-op shooter
- Squad size. 2, 3, 4, or full 5v5 lobbies.
- PvE vs PvP. Fighting AI together, fighting other squads, or both.
- Voice chat. In-game push-to-talk versus needing Discord on the side.
- Free-to-play monetization. Hard paywall versus battle-pass versus skin gacha.
- Controller support. Many of these benefit hugely from a Backbone or 8BitDo.
- Network and matchmaking quality. A great game with bad matchmaking is unplayable.
Quick comparison table
| Game | Squad type | Squad size | Pricing model | Standout mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoD: Mobile | Team PvP + Zombies PvE | Up to 5 | Free + battle pass | Zombies co-op |
| Modern Combat 5 | Co-op campaign + team PvP | Up to 6 | Free + paid maps | 6-player co-op story |
| Arena Breakout | Squad extraction | Up to 3 | Free + battle pass | Extraction raids |
| Critical Ops | Team PvP | 5v5 | Free + cosmetics | Defuse mode |
| Standoff 2 | Team PvP | 5v5 | Free + cosmetics | Bomb defuse |
| Brawl Stars | Co-op modes | 3-player | Free + battle pass | Big Game / Heist |
| Modern Warships | Team naval combat | 7v7 | Free + ships | Squad battles |
1. Call of Duty: Mobile — best overall co-op
Call of Duty: Mobile is the headline mobile shooter, and the co-op options inside it are deeper than people give it credit for. Zombies returned in 2025 as a permanent mode rather than a seasonal event, supports four-player squads against waves of undead with the perks-and-pack-a-punch progression CoD fans recognise. Multiplayer team modes (Domination, Hardpoint, Search and Destroy) handle the team PvP side.
The game is free to install and play. Battle pass and weapon blueprints are the monetization, and they are mostly cosmetic with the occasional gameplay-affecting weapon variant that the community pushes back on. The matchmaking is fast, voice chat works in-game, and the gunplay is the most polished on Android.
Controller support is genuinely good. The same Backbone or 8BitDo you use for cloud streaming runs CoD: Mobile cleanly, and the on-screen controls fade out when a controller connects.
Bottom line: Pick this if you want one shooter with both team PvP and Zombies co-op in the same install.
2. Modern Combat 5 — best for full co-op campaign
Modern Combat 5 by Gameloft is the longest-running CoD-style shooter on mobile, and it is the only mainstream Android entry with a full co-op campaign you can play through with friends. Six-player squads run through the story missions cooperatively, with each character handling a class (Assault, Heavy, Recon, Sniper, Support, Bounty Hunter) that complements the team.
It is free to install, free to play through the campaign, and most multiplayer modes do not gate behind paywalls. The class system lets two players coordinate (one sniping, one pushing) without overlapping roles. Team Versus mode covers traditional 6v6 PvP for nights when the squad does not want a campaign run.
The game is showing its age in spots, the menus are dated, the loading times are longer than CoD: Mobile, but the actual co-op gameplay is one of the better experiences on Android.
Bottom line: Pick this if you want a full co-op campaign rather than just team-PvP modes.
3. Arena Breakout — best squad extraction
Arena Breakout by Tencent’s Proxima Beta is the mobile take on the Escape from Tarkov formula. Three-player squads enter a map, fight AI scavs and other player squads, loot whatever they can carry, and try to reach an extraction point alive. Lose your gear if you die, keep what you extract.
It is the most tactical shooter on this list. Communication is essential, and the squad mechanics (callouts, revives, gear sharing) reward the kind of slow, deliberate play that has made the extraction subgenre boom on PC and console. The free tier is fully playable; the battle pass and weapon attachments are the upsell.
The match is the unit, not the mode. A typical raid runs 15 to 25 minutes from spawn to extract. The pace is closer to a tactical shooter than CoD’s twitch combat, and the punishment for poor decisions is the most severe of any entry on this list.
Bottom line: Pick this if your squad wants slow, tactical, gear-loss-stakes raids.
4. Critical Ops — best 5v5 team PvP
Critical Ops by Critical Force is the cleanest Counter-Strike-style 5v5 on Android. Bomb defuse, deathmatch, and gun game modes, no battle royale, no zombies, no campaign. Just teams, rounds, and economy. The free tier is fully playable; the only monetization is cosmetic.
The competitive ladder is real. Critical Ops has a ranked mode with seasonal resets, a small but committed esports scene, and matchmaking that prioritizes balanced lobbies over fast queue times. For squads that want a “play together every night, climb together” rhythm, it is the closest mobile fit.
The trade-off is that the game has not introduced new modes at the pace CoD: Mobile has. If you want variety, this is the wrong pick. If you want the same five maps and the same defuse rhythm for years, it is exactly right.
Bottom line: Pick this if your squad wants a ranked 5v5 ladder with no battle royale clutter.
5. Standoff 2 — best CSGO clone
Standoff 2 by Axlebolt is the other CSGO-on-mobile entry. Same 5v5 bomb-defuse rhythm as Critical Ops, with a heavier focus on weapon skins (the Steam Market influence is obvious) and a more polished progression system. The competitive matchmaking is the strongest in the category, and the player base is large.
What sets it apart is the skin economy. Drops, trades, and a tier-based rarity system give the game a meta loop outside of just playing matches, which is what kept CSGO sticky for over a decade. The trade-off is that the cosmetic-driven design pushes harder on monetization than Critical Ops does.
The game is free to play, and gameplay is not paywalled, just cosmetics. Voice chat is in-game, the maps are recognisable to anyone with CS hours, and the controller support has improved over the past year.
Bottom line: Pick this if your squad wants Counter-Strike-style 5v5 with a skin economy.
6. Brawl Stars — best for short co-op sessions
Brawl Stars by Supercell is the unconventional entry. It is a top-down arena shooter rather than first-person, and the co-op modes (Heist, Big Game, Boss Fight, Knockout) are designed for three-player squads in three-to-five-minute matches. That makes it the one game on this list you can dip into for ten minutes between meetings without losing the day.
The free tier is the most generous on the list. Brawler unlocks come from a steady drip of free progression, ranked is free, and the only hard paywall is cosmetic. The game’s monetization has been criticised in the past, but the gameplay is genuinely playable for free.
For squads with mixed skill levels, this is the friendliest pick. The skill ceiling is real for ranked, but casual modes are forgiving and the match length means a bad lobby is over in three minutes rather than fifteen.
Bottom line: Pick this if your squad wants short matches and varied co-op modes rather than long PvP commitments.
7. Modern Warships — best for team naval combat
Modern Warships by Artstorm is the niche pick: 7v7 naval combat with destroyers, frigates, aircraft carriers, and submarines, all squad-based. It is closer to World of Warships than CoD, with longer engagement ranges, gunnery lead calculation, and torpedo dodging. The squad layer matters because role coordination (a carrier launching strikes, a frigate scouting, destroyers screening) outclasses solo play.
The free tier covers most ship classes; the paid path is premium ships and faster progression. The grind is real, but the gameplay loop is genuinely different from every other entry on this list, and that is the reason to pick it. Once a friend group is bored of FPS shooters, this is the change of pace.
The game is heavy on graphics and benefits from a flagship phone or tablet. On a mid-range phone you can drop the visual settings to medium and still play comfortably; the network requirements are modest.
Bottom line: Pick this when your squad wants a tactical change of pace from FPS combat.
How to pick the right one
If your squad wants one shooter to rule them all, Call of Duty: Mobile has the most modes, the deepest content, and the only proper Zombies co-op on Android.
If you specifically want a co-op story to play through, Modern Combat 5 is the only game on this list with a full six-player co-op campaign.
If your squad wants gear-loss tactical raids, Arena Breakout is the best Tarkov-on-mobile option.
If your squad lives for 5v5 competitive, Critical Ops is the lean pick and Standoff 2 is the flashier one.
If your matches need to fit in fifteen-minute breaks, Brawl Stars is the only short-format pick that scales for squads of three.
If you want something different from FPS, Modern Warships is the naval pivot worth trying.
FAQ
What is the best free co-op shooter for Android?
Call of Duty: Mobile is the strongest overall, free to install with optional battle-pass monetization. Modern Combat 5 covers the co-op campaign niche. Brawl Stars is the most generous free-to-play on this list if you can live with a top-down view.
Can I play co-op shooters on Android with a controller?
Yes. Call of Duty: Mobile, Critical Ops, Standoff 2, Modern Warships, and Modern Combat 5 all support Bluetooth controllers (Backbone, 8BitDo, Razer Kishi, PS5 DualSense, Xbox Series). Brawl Stars is touch-only by design. Arena Breakout has limited controller support that the community is still asking the developer to expand.
Are extraction shooters available on Android?
Yes. Arena Breakout is the headline title in the genre, with three-player squad extraction matching the Tarkov formula. There are smaller titles in the same niche; Arena Breakout is the most polished.
What is the best Android shooter to play with three friends?
Arena Breakout (3-player squad extraction), Brawl Stars (3-player co-op modes), and Modern Combat 5 (co-op campaign supports up to six) all scale cleanly for three-player squads.
Do these games support voice chat?
Most have in-game voice chat. CoD: Mobile, Critical Ops, Standoff 2, and Brawl Stars include push-to-talk in-game. Many squads still default to Discord on the side because the in-game audio quality varies, especially with party play across regions.
