Valve revolutionizes Steam Family Sharing with new Steam Families: say goodbye to library locking and hello to parental controls!

Valve has made a major update to Steam Family Sharing, introducing the new Steam Families beta features. This overhaul addresses one of the most frustrating issues with the previous system.

Previously, if someone in your sharing group was playing a game, your entire library would be inaccessible. You were left with the choice of waiting or asking them to stop playing. With the new Steam Families system, this limitation has been lifted. Now, as long as members are playing different games, everyone can enjoy their own gaming session. Additionally, if multiple members have a copy of the same game, they can play simultaneously.

Steam Families combines the previous Steam Family Sharing and Steam Family View features into one cohesive system. The update also introduces new parental controls that allow for more customization and oversight. Parents can now set limits on game access, restrict access to certain features like the Steam Store or Friends Chat, and even monitor playtime and approve or deny requests for additional playtime.

Children can now request purchases that must be approved by the parent, providing more control over spending. Valve has also clarified that if someone in your group is banned while using your shared copy, you may also face consequences.

This update from Valve has been long-awaited by the community, and it’s great to see these requested features implemented in the beta version. The introduction of the Steam Deck may have played a role in pushing Valve to make these changes, as complaints about the system have been mounting. However, Valve is known for listening to feedback and consistently improving its services.

For more details on the Steam Families beta features, check out the full announcement on Steam.