God of War Sons of Sparta 2 Player: Co-Op Unlock Guide

Can You Play Sons of Sparta With Two Players?

God of War Sons of Sparta 2 player co-op lets you fight alongside a friend in The Pit, a separate roguelite challenge mode. The story campaign is single-player, so head into the challenge mode when you want to play together. You can unlock it by completing the campaign or entering a starting-menu code to jump in early.

On PS5, The Pit supports two-player local, offline couch co-op. One player controls Kratos, while the other controls Deimos. It also supports solo play as Kratos.

The brothers’ shared adventure through Laconia remains a solo story experience. Unlocking The Pit gives you access to cooperative combat challenges; it doesn’t add a second player to campaign exploration, puzzles, or story missions.

Official page: God of War Sons of Sparta (playstation.com)

How to Unlock The Pit Without Finishing the Campaign

The normal unlock comes after completing the main story. Once unlocked, The Pit becomes available from the main menu.

To access it earlier, enter this sequence at the starting menu:

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, L1, R1, Touchpad

Follow these steps:

1. Open the game’s starting menu.
2. Enter the directional inputs in the exact order shown.
3. Finish with L1, R1, and Touchpad.
4. Select the new challenge-mode option that appears.

The February 26, 2026 update added this early-access shortcut. If you’re using an older installation, update the game before trying the sequence.

You don’t need to complete the campaign first when using the code. However, the normal unlock gives you time to learn Kratos’ weapons and recognize enemies before taking on the challenge mode. Practice those fundamentals in the campaign if early Pit attempts feel overwhelming.

How Two-Player Pit Challenges Work

The Pit, also called the Pit of Agonies, is built around repeatable combat runs. Before starting, you choose an agony: a difficulty modifier that puts your characters at a disadvantage.

Image: PlayStation Store

Examples include enemies that:

• Regenerate health.
• Explode when defeated.

Those modifiers change how you should handle a fight. Keep pressure on regenerating enemies to limit their opportunity to recover. Move away from defeated enemies when an explosive modifier is active, and warn your partner before they move toward the same spot.

Runs feature different enemies and draw from different reward pools. At the end of each level within a run, you can select an upgrade to a weapon or ability. These upgrades last for that attempt, giving you choices to make as you advance.

Choose upgrades with the current agony in mind. Against regenerating enemies, prioritize options that help you maintain damage. When defeated enemies explode, leave room to retreat instead of crowding around each kill.

Death sends you back to the beginning of The Pit, making each attempt a fresh run.

What Carries Over Between Runs?

The Pit separates temporary combat upgrades from permanent progression. Understanding that difference helps you decide what you’re working toward during each attempt.

Upgrade type	How you get it	How long it lasts
Weapon or ability upgrade	Select it after completing a level within The Pit	The current challenge run
Permanent upgrade	Purchase it using Ashes of Agony	Carries over between attempts

Completing runs earns Ashes of Agony, a resource used specifically for The Pit’s permanent upgrades. Those purchases continue helping you across attempts, even though the upgrades selected during an individual run expire.

You also earn a Symbol of Suffering for the agonies chosen before the run. Collecting enough symbols unlocks additional agonies, expanding the modifiers you can take on.

Work toward completing runs with your current modifiers before pursuing newly unlocked challenges. Use the resulting Ashes of Agony for permanent upgrades, then tackle tougher combinations with those lasting improvements in place.