Peak Nucleus Co-Op Guide
Peak is a cooperative climbing game that became one of the most-searched Nucleus Co-Op games of 2025. Play local split-screen with 2 players on a single PC.
Get game setup in NucleusRequirements
How to Set Up Peak Split-Screen
Peak's Nucleus handler is one of the newer additions to the library and quickly became popular following the game's viral success in 2025. Setup is straightforward.
- 1.
Install Nucleus Co-Op
Download and extract to C:\NucleusCo-op. Add to Defender exclusions before extracting. Use 7-Zip with password 'nucleus'.
- 2.
Download the Peak Handler
Open Nucleus, click Add New Games, and search for 'Peak'. Install the handler. Point it to the Peak.exe executable in your Steam library.
- 3.
Keep Steam Running
Steam must be open and logged in before launching Nucleus. The Peak handler uses Steam networking for the connection between instances.
- 4.
Connect Two Controllers
Press a button on each Xbox controller to register them in the Nucleus UI. Drag one controller icon to the left screen half and one to the right.
- 5.
Click Play and Join
Press Play. Both instances will launch and arrange side by side. In the first instance, create a multiplayer session. In the second, join via Steam friends or lobby code.
Tips
Peak is lightweight — most modern PCs handle 2 instances without any performance issues.
The game's short session format (most runs take 30–60 minutes) makes it ideal for split-screen play.
Each player controls their own climber independently — coordination is key to survival.
If one instance falls behind on loading, wait for both to fully reach the main menu before attempting to connect.
Disable Steam overlay in both instances via Steam > Settings > In-Game to reduce potential hook conflicts.
Common Issues
Peak second instance can't see the hosted lobby +
Peak crashes immediately when launched via Nucleus +
Both Peak instances show the same controller input +
About Peak Split-Screen
Peak is a cooperative mountain climbing game that went viral in mid-2025, rapidly becoming one of the most-played co-op games of the year. The game centers on two or more players attempting to summit increasingly dangerous mountains together, with permadeath and shared resources creating intense moments of cooperation and sacrifice.
Despite natively supporting online co-op, Peak has no built-in local split-screen mode — a gap that Nucleus Co-Op fills effectively. The handler for Peak appeared within weeks of the game's launch, driven by community demand.
The game's relatively simple graphics engine and small download size make it one of the most accessible Nucleus setups. Most modern gaming PCs can run two Peak instances simultaneously at full settings without any performance degradation.
Peak's design philosophy of short, intense co-op sessions makes it particularly well-suited to split-screen play. Unlike survival games where sessions can stretch for hours, a Peak run typically concludes within an hour, making it easy to play multiple rounds in an evening.
