How to Split in .io Games: When, Why and When Not To

What splitting does

In Orb Arena, like most eat-and-grow games, splitting launches half of your mass forward as a separate orb. Press Space on a keyboard, or tap the round Split button in the bottom-left corner on a phone. Every piece with at least 36 mass splits at once, toward your pointer. The launched half moves fast for a moment, which makes it the quickest way to catch a fleeing target. The cost is that both halves are smaller than you were. Your pieces push apart at first, then rejoin automatically after a timer that starts at about 10 seconds and grows slightly the bigger you are.

Every split is a trade. You get a burst of reach and speed, and you give up size and safety for a while.

The golden rule of splitting

Only split at something clearly smaller than your half. If you have 200 mass, each half has about 100, so the target needs to be well under 100. If it's close, your half might bounce off, or worse, be the one that gets eaten. When in doubt, don't.

Three good reasons to split

1. To finish a chase. A smaller orb running in a straight line will escape you, because smaller orbs are faster. A well-aimed split catches it.
2. To grab a cluster quickly. When the Storm pushes many pellets into a small space, a split can gather them faster than one slow orb.
3. To escape. A split away from a predator can save one half when the alternative is losing everything. It's a last resort, but sometimes it's the right call.

When not to split

• Near the Storm edge. A half launched toward the ring may land outside and drain away before it can merge.
• With a bigger rival nearby. Your halves are snacks. Before splitting, check that nothing within reach can eat a half-sized you.
• Late in the round with little space. In the final squeeze, size is safety. One failed split can end your run.
• At a target already turning. Splits travel in a straight line. A target that's turning will dodge it.

Defending against splits

The bigger computer rivals hunt smaller orbs too. To stay safe:

• Keep your distance. Stay just beyond splitting range, roughly a few body-lengths of the bigger orb.
• Move sideways, not straight away. A split goes straight. Moving across its path is safer than running in a straight line.
• Use the ring. A rival won't happily chase toward the Storm, so staying near (not past) the edge can protect you.
• Make yourself not worth it. A target that's too close in size to a half isn't safe for them to split at.

Practice drill

Play three rounds where you only split at targets you're sure about and count how many split attempts succeed. Then play three rounds where you never split. Most players find they were splitting too often, and their scores go up when they split less but better. Track your best score on the end-of-round screen. When you beat it, use "Challenge a friend" to see if someone can top it.

FAQ