The developers acknowledge that adding a co-op mode was one of the fans' most frequent requests. However, maintaining the right tension is essential, and having a friend on the couch would have been an unacceptable factor.
Bandai Namco producer Coralie Feniello explained in an interview:
“Co-op was the most requested feature that fans talked about, so it was very important for us to implement it. I think having the opportunity to experience this together with a friend will add another layer to the game.”
“But at the same time, we really want the player to be able to experience everything the way they want. That is why we are not giving up on single-player. One of the downsides might be that when playing solo, you will still have a companion, but controlled by artificial intelligence.”
Game director Wayne Garland added:
“We've been asked all sorts of questions regarding co-op, local versus online. We did consider couch co-op, but — returning to the atmosphere and immersion we are trying to create — I think it was important for us to stick to online co-op only, rather than the traditional, more party-style aspects of co-op.”
Little Nightmares 3 will be released in 2024 on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.