If you have been waiting for the launch of the new Steam Family Sharing service to go live, you will be pleased to know that from today it is available to use and try out.
The new Steam Family Sharing is still in its beta development stage but has been designed by Valve to allow friends and family members to play one another’s games, while earning their own Steam achievements and saving their own game progress to the Steam cloud for access at a later date.
How Steam Family Sharing Works
Valve explains that once a user has made a computer as authorised by the lender, it will automatically make the player’s library of Steam games available for others to access, download and play. This means that if you have a friend or family member who owns a game you’ve been wanting to try, you can now do so without having to purchase it yourself. The process is straightforward: the lender authorizes the borrower’s computer, and the borrower can then access the lender’s library of games.
One of the key features of Steam Family Sharing is that it allows each user to earn their own Steam achievements and save their game progress independently. This is particularly useful for households with multiple gamers, as it ensures that each person’s progress and achievements are kept separate. This feature is also beneficial for friends who share games but want to maintain their own individual gaming records.
Benefits and Limitations
While the Steam Family Sharing service offers numerous benefits, there are some limitations to be aware of. For instance, only one user can access a shared library and play games from it at any given time. This means that if the lender decides to play a game from their library, the borrower will be temporarily unable to access the shared games. This limitation ensures that the service is used fairly and prevents multiple users from playing the same game simultaneously without purchasing additional copies.
Another important aspect to consider is that some games may not be available for sharing due to technical limitations or licensing restrictions. For example, games that require a subscription or third-party key may not be shareable. Therefore, it’s essential to check the availability of specific games within the shared library.
Despite these limitations, Steam Family Sharing provides a fantastic opportunity for gamers to explore new titles and share their favorite games with friends and family. It also promotes a sense of community and collaboration among gamers, as they can recommend and share games they enjoy.
For more information on the new Steam Family Sharing, jump over to the Valve website for details.
Source: Valve
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