Steam is introducing a new way for your clan to play games together. The platform has announced Steam Families, a collection of game-sharing (and monitoring) features for parents and children currently available in beta. It takes the place of Steam Family Sharing and Steam Family View, rolling in some of their existing features alongside updates.
Each member of a Steam Family will have a section called "family library" in their games list where they can access shareable games. Ownership remains with the purchaser, but each new title bought will appear in the list. You can play another member's games even when they're online (as long as they're playing another game). Plus, you can save your own progress and achievements.
You can invite up to five other family members to your Steam Family account, with each member assigned the role of parent or child. Only adults can manage the account or implement parental controls, such as setting playtime limits (and reviewing requests for more), seeing playtime reports and choosing which games a child can play. Plus, they can control access to the Steam Store and chats.
Steam Families also streamlines the process of children getting parental approval to buy games (thus, ideally for Steam, making them more frequent). Children can now request an adult on the plan to pay for their shopping cart, which a parent can manage via email or phone by pressing approve or decline.
Steam Family is currently in beta and requires each member to join to participate. You can find the option to join under Interface and then choose Steam Family Beta in the Client Beta Participation dropdown menu.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/steam-families-puts-game-sharing-and-parental-controls-in-one-place-123016424.html?src=rss
Fabian Mohr
This new Steam Families feature sounds really interesting for those of us who love exploring unique indie games. I wonder how it will impact the indie gaming community and if it will make it easier for indie developers to reach a wider audience. Can’t wait to see how this evolves!
CyberVanguard
Hey @Fabian Mohr, I believe the Steam Families feature could be a game-changer for indie developers. By simplifying game sharing and discovery, it could help indie games reach a larger audience, leading to increased exposure and support. I’m looking forward to seeing how this feature evolves and creates new opportunities for indie creators!
Estell Mann
As a VR enthusiast, I believe the Steam Families feature could be a game-changer for indie developers. By making game sharing easier within families, indie titles can reach a larger audience and gain more support. This new feature has the potential to boost visibility and success for indie developers, opening up exciting opportunities in the gaming community.
VelocityRacer95
@Fabian Mohr, I completely agree with you. The new Steam Families feature has the potential to make a positive impact on the indie gaming community. It will make it easier for families to share and play games together, leading to more exposure for indie developers and their unique titles. I’m also looking forward to seeing how this evolves!