The Crimson Hunt co-op bugs primarily affect split-screen and Steam Remote Play Together sessions, causing controller assignment conflicts, inventory cursor locks, camera desyncs, and character softlocks during grabs or partner assists. Developer Farelas designed the Victorian survival horror title around local shared/split-screen play for Victoria and Eleanor, but playing cooperatively currently introduces several technical hiccups that solo play avoids.
Understanding where these glitches trigger and how to bypass them can save your campaign run from repeated checkpoint restarts.
Controller and Remote Play Input Glitches
Because The Crimson Hunt features local shared and split-screen co-op rather than dedicated online multiplayer networking, many PC players rely on Steam Remote Play Together to play online with friends. This setup frequently triggers control mapping errors.
- Dual-Character Control on One Gamepad: When hosting a session where one player uses a controller and the other uses a keyboard and mouse, the game engine sometimes registers the single controller as both Player 1 and Player 2 simultaneously. This forces the gamepad user to move Victoria and Eleanor at the same time.
- Controller Disconnection Reassignment: If the joining player's controller disconnects mid-session, the input binding breaks. The host system may reassign Eleanor to the host's controller while shifting Victoria to keyboard controls, making normal play impossible until the entire game client is restarted.
- In-Game Input Deadzones: Several community reports note that controllers register input correctly in the main settings menus but fail to respond once gameplay loads.
To minimize input errors during Remote Play, ensure all gamepads are connected and mapped through Steam Input before launching the title. If using a mixed keyboard and gamepad setup, launch the game only after Steam confirms separate controller slots for each participant.
Inventory and UI Desynchronization Bugs
Managing ammo, healing syringes, and key items between Victoria and Eleanor is central to surviving the mansion, but opening menus at the same time in co-op mode often corrupts the interface.
- Shared Inventory Cursor Bug: If both players open their inventory screens simultaneously, the second player's cursor defaults into the first player's inventory grid rather than their own.
- Remote Inventory Closing: The second player can inadvertently close the first player's inventory screen simply by pressing the cancel button (B on Xbox controllers or Circle on PlayStation controllers).
- Puzzle and Note UI Interlocking: Reading environmental lore or examining notes while your partner is interacting with a mechanism (such as the gear puzzle) causes UI overlap. Backing out of a document on one screen can forcefully close the partner's puzzle screen.
- Ultrawide Scaling Distortions: Horizontal split-screen rendering on ultrawide monitors experiences visual stretching and misaligned HUD elements.
To prevent interface softlocks, coordinate with your partner so that only one player accesses the inventory menu, opens lore notes, or manipulates puzzle wheels at any given time.
Softlocks, Grab Glitches, and Progression Blockers
Several combat interactions and co-op environmental puzzles can lock your characters in place, requiring a reload from a clock tower save or checkpoint.
| Co-Op Interaction | Observed Bug | Current Workaround |
|---|---|---|
| Rescuing a grabbed partner | Shooting or kicking a monster off a grabbed player causes the grabbed character to freeze in place permanently. | Allow the grab animation to resolve naturally or eliminate enemies before they close the distance. |
| Co-op ledge boost (Catacombs) | If the joining player (Eleanor) interacts first at the ledge to pull Victoria up, Eleanor becomes stuck. | Ensure the designated primary player initiates the climbing prompt first. |
| Simultaneous item pickup | Both players interacting with the same collectible painting simultaneously softlocks both models. | Designate one player to collect key quest items and room collectibles. |
| Catacombs / Post-boss water areas | Water sequences can cause Eleanor to walk through water or freeze underwater, triggering fatal glitches. | Avoid jumping into submerged gaps ahead of sequence triggers; wait for mechanisms to drain or activate properly. |
| Shared throne interaction | If both characters attempt to sit on the throne near the sewer exit, Victoria gets permanently stuck in spectator mode. | Interact with furniture and resting points one character at a time. |
Another critical progression hurdle involves quest item ownership. When an item like a statue head, cutting pliers, or studio key is picked up, it resides solely in that player's inventory without an automatic indicator displaying on the other player's HUD. If the player lacking the item tries to open the door, the prompt simply states that something is missing. Keep track of who picks up keys and tools, as only the holder can trigger the relevant door or mechanism.
Combat and Item Disappearance Issues
Cooperative combat brings additional quirks that can quickly deplete your team's limited supplies.
- Pistol Ammo Deletion on Reload: Reloading a firearm multiple times can trigger an inventory glitch that clears all reserve ammunition from your pack.
- Dropped Flare Gun with Zero Ammo: In the catacombs, if Eleanor receives the flare gun while carrying a full inventory, the weapon drops onto the ground empty with zero rounds. Ensure you maintain at least one open inventory slot before major story weapon handoffs.
- Storage Chest Duplication and Erasure: Placing weapons (such as the double-barrel shotgun) in storage chests can lead to items vanishing upon later inspection, or duplicating identical weapons across different chest locations.
- Post-Death Enemy Swings: Defeated vampires occasionally execute a melee attack mid-death animation even after the kill sound effect triggers. Maintain your distance until the enemy model hits the floor.
- Melee Frame Freezes: Hitting enemies with the knife or crowbar can cause momentary audio dropouts and micro-stutters upon impact.
Official Patches and Developer Response
Developer Farelas has actively addressed community feedback through updates and demo hotfixes. Official patch notes highlight several co-op improvements:
- Removal of Friendly Fire: Friendly fire was completely disabled in co-op mode to stop accidental melee hits and weapon strikes from disrupting teammates in tight mansion corridors.
- Door State Corrections: Fixed collision issues where standing together near doorway thresholds caused doors to become stuck or swing open backwards.
- UI and Companion AI Adjustments: Ongoing patches have targeted split-screen menu stretching and improved companion behavior when running chapters in single-player mode.
If you encounter an unrecoverable character lock or missing progression key (such as the bedroom key failing to register after placing the statuette head), reloading a manual clock tower save remains the most reliable temporary resolution while updates continue to roll out.
