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But you yourself are constantly going on about how there aren't very many couch co-op games for the PC!

That I was, past tense. But according to Slashdot users hairyfeet, nschubach, Pubstar, and others, as well as Anonymous Cowards, the situation has changed. Valve has done much to promote this sort of stuff on Steam in preparation for the Steam Machine, even though it's dragging its feet on the actual Steam Machine hardware. This includes Big Picture, a store filter for controller-friendly games, and Steam OS (a Debian derivative that boots to Big Picture). Other sites have started to list such games as well, such as Co-optimus and reddit.

If he wants to play in the living room he'd be better off with a PS4.

Choice of platform is often driven by exclusives. No upgrade will bring games to the PS4 that aren't already there or let you install mods for those games that are on PS4. PC, by contrast, has a wide selection of previous-generation games and community-made mods if you tire of the top 40.

Note: I'm a former master race member who went to consoles, but not for the specs. I wanted the social interaction of multiplayer gaming on the same screen & couch

PC has supported same-screen multiplayer since 1999, when Windows added support for multiple USB game controllers. More conservatively, PC has supported it since 2006, when couch-sized PC monitors (read: HDTVs) became affordable and the market began to standardize on the wired Xbox 360 controller. Try some of these games.

PC games rarely have multiplayer.

Nschubach would disagree, citing this list. Even if it is a problem, I would volunteer to be among the first to fix this problem by having my team develop couch-centered PC games. But naysayers on Slashdot keep telling me that even if someone were to make and sell a PC game focused around couch multiplayer, nobody would buy it because nobody is willing to build a second PC for the living room just for one game.

Other than these?

yes, frankly when the list is about 20 games between 2001 and 2013 i think that is pretty safe to say.

Why don't they? Say someone finds out about a particular indie game. She visits the game's web site and sees "PC: Buy Now! Consoles: We are seeking a publisher to bring $TITLE to consoles." Is she interested, or does she think to herself "It's for PC? Too bad. I'll try something from a major studio instead."

because your hypothetical is just a hypothetical, nothing more. i could equally give you a counter example but there's no point since it too would be a hypothetical with no merit.

Frankly there aren't any decent local multiplayer games on PC to be worth using that anyway

Other than these?

people don't want local multiplayer pc games.

Why don't they? Say someone finds out about a particular indie game. She visits the game's web site and sees "PC: Buy Now! Consoles: We are seeking a publisher to bring $TITLE to consoles." Is she interested, or does she think to herself "It's for PC? Too bad. I'll try something from a major studio instead."

Seriously, they just port the same code over anyway, why the hell can't you plug two USB game controllers into a PC and play a local multiplayer match? Never seen a single game support that

I'll show you more than "a single game". Street Fighter IV supports couch multiplayer, as does the (2 years delayed) port of Mortal Kombat (2011). So do a lot of the games on this page and on another page that nschubach pointed out. Look for indie and amateur games, as their developers are less likely to have console licenses to fall back on.

Personally I see [local multiplayer] as a major benefit of console gaming that has kept me from gaming on PCs for decades.

First connect a PC to an HDTV or other large monitor. Then plug in USB gamepads, such as Xbox 360 controllers you bought at a pawn shop. Then install something like Blur, Dungeon Defenders, Lego $MOVIE, Street Fighter IV, or Trine, or any of several games on this list. What's stopping that?

From someone who has shared a similar experience:

http://www.co-optimus.com/

You will want to filter out the FPS titles, but there are dozens of good, modern recommendations there. And that doesn't even include older games.

Plenty of great "couch co-op" games on PC.

Recently I've played:

A Virus Named Tom

Trine 2

Rayman Origins

Portal 2

Magicka

Dungeon Defenders

Disney Universe (we've got a 3yo in the house!)

This is definitely something that I would quiesce to, If there are good Indie games on the PC, that would justify the investment in controllers and cabling to allow my primary PC to connect to my 37" HD TV. I'm not as tech savvy as the average /. reader (I'm a scientist/chemist by profession) so for me it has just been the convenience of having separate PC and Console set-up in my living room. I own all 3 Humble Bundles, but none of them has the multiplayer co-op I'm looking for. I do regular googles, and I look here for reviews, but I can't find any quality Indy campaign driven splitscreen co-op game for the PC.

There's a small list of PC games that allow it:
http://www.co-optimus.com/system.php?id=4&page=0&playerComp=%3E%3D&playerNum=2&esrb=%25&released=Y&couch=on

It's not "indie" per say, but they do specialize in the co-op ranking/rating.

(not affiliated with co-optimus, but I find it an awesome site for the co-op gamer. For instance, I selected "couch co-op" for this list. It lists splitscreen/multi-controller on same screen games. Although looking at it, they should include Worms on the list. I was playing Worms from Steam with my friends and multiple controllers.)

there are co-op specific 'prequel' side missions that are, as far as i know, playable in splitscreen as well as online. the main campaign is single player only. http://www.co-optimus.com/article/6248/e3-2011-rage-hands-on-preview.html there might be some details somewhere about versus multiplayer

It's nice for them to at least include the option for people who do want it. Games like MarioKart would have been way less fun and successful without local multiplayer.

This is the reason why people still enjoy games on the Wii. Split-screen/local multiplayer makes for a fun evening with a couple of friends (and plenty of booze).

Tried the same with the PS3 (I loved Fallout and Uncharted) but there simply aren't a whole lot of good local multiplayer games to be found. Every now and then we give Blur and Borderlands a go, but we quickly go back to Mario, Rayman and Wii Whatever. Perhaps it's just that the Wii and PS3 are both made for a different audience and I somehow balance between the two.

And for all gamers who enjoy co-op: http://www.co-optimus.com/

This article just assumes games should be competitive. There are cooperative games. The Wii is pioneering more such cooperative games. Here is a general site on the topic of cooperative computer games:
    http://www.co-optimus.com/

There are even cooperative board games:
    http://www.familypastimes.com/

One great thing about cooperative games is that they make it easy for players of different skill levels to play together.

From Alfie Kohn's book, "No Contest: The Case Against Competition":
    http://www.amazon.com/No-Contest-Case-Against-Competition/dp/0395631254
"Contending that competition in all areas -- school, family, sports and business -- is destructive, and that success so achieved is at the expense of another's failure, Kohn, a correspondent for USA Today, advocates a restructuring of our institutions to replace competition with cooperation. He persuasively demonstrates how the ingrained American myth that competition is the only normal and desirable way of life -- from Little Leagues to the presidency -- is counterproductive, personally and for the national economy, and how psychologically it poisons relationships, fosters anxiety and takes the fun out of work and play. He charges that competition is a learned phenomenon and denies that it builds character and self-esteem. Kohn's measures to encourage cooperation in lieu of competition include promoting noncompetitive games, eliminating scholastic grades and substitution of mutual security for national security. ... In closely reasoned argument he shows that, while competition is deeply ingrained, it is also inherently destructive, especially where self-esteem is contingent on winning at the expense of others."

So, there are other ways to have more fun.
    http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cooperative+games

I think Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 1 & 2 offer coop/competitive multiplayer 4 way split screen as does Rainbow Six Vegas and I think all the Call of Duty series offer competitive 4 way split screen. I don't think Blazing Angels 2 should be dismissed either, it's quite a good fun arcade style shooter, it's certainly funny flying round in Spitfires, Zeros and P51s etc. trying to shoot each other down ;) In terms of non-shooter retail games, then Thrillville is good for a laugh and provides lots of different game modes (particularly the bikes mini-game is fun), Viva Pinata: Party animals, despite an inititally rather childish look is actually quite fun with a few people as well as it has a very mario kart-esque racing mode and lots of decent mini games.

If you want coop then check here:

http://www.co-optimus.com/system/1/XBox_360.html

Note though that that list doesn't include Live arcade games. There's loads on live arcade that's rather good for this type of thing too, notably Geometry Wars 2 for starters which really is good fun 4 player with friends.