Valve launches Steam Family Sharing for all users

[Scorpus]

After a beta period lasting over five months, Valve is finally ready to give all Steam users access to Family Sharing. The program gives a user the chance to share their entire game library with up to five others, with some restrictions in place to ensure the system isn't abused.

At the start of the beta program each Steam user could share their library with up to ten other accounts, although that has been changed for the final launch to ten devices. In the Steam application settings you'll be able to authorize certain machines for Family Sharing, and then up to five Steam accounts can access your library across those ten machines.

Only one account can access a shared library at any one time, so even if two users want to play different games, only the person who first accesses the library can play. The owner of the library always has priority access to their collection though, and if they want to use it, anyone else that's accessing it will be prompted to exit the game or buy it themselves.

Aside from these restrictions, Steam users accessing a shared game will be able to upload their own saves to the cloud, and unlock their own achievements. Even DLC will be available through the program, so long as the user accessing it also doesn't own the main game.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/55856-valve-launches-steam-family-sharing-for-all-users.html

 

[cliffordcooley]

Seems kind of pointless with those restrictions. What is the point in sharing a library, if it can not be shared during the same time frame?

 

[Jad Chaar]

Seems kind of pointless with those restrictions. What is the point in sharing a library, if it can not be shared during the same time frame?

Yeah, but there have to be limitations for these types of things. They dont want everyone just sharing libraries and not buying games.

 

[Seventh Reign]

I have no problem at all with those restrictions. I have almost 200 games in my steam library. I'm sure that no matter what game I am playing, whoever I'm sharing with will be able to find something.

I can guarantee with 96.7% certainty that most of the people that have issues with them, do so because they were hoping for multiplayer.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I'm just saying I can understand being restricted from playing the same game, at the same time within a shared library. But to break the share on a library, while it is being used by the account holder, is counter to the whole concept of using a share program.

 

[SirGCal]

I have no problem at all with those restrictions. I have almost 200 games in my steam library. I'm sure that no matter what game I am playing, whoever I'm sharing with will be able to find something.

I can guarantee with 96.7% certainty that most of the people that have issues with them, do so because they were hoping for multiplayer.

The way this reads, only one account can access the LIBRARY at any one time. Thus, doesn't matter how many games you have, if you're playing, the shared people can not get in regardless of who's playing what.

I'd be fine with only one account playing game X at a time, but one into the library is rather annoying. What I would use this for is games for my boys. I have 600+ games and many of them kid friendly. They should be able to access the games I am not playing without issue but as this reads, that is not the case...

 

[oldikes]

SirGCal is correct, only one person can access the library at a time.
But im not using the library for 10 hours a day so this is a nice feature ill probably let my friends use.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Not sure it will be workable for me. Last couple of years all of my game purchases have been from Steam. If playing any one of them means that the folks I wish to share some other games with are outed...well, that just isn't friendly.

 

[oldikes]

Im confused as to why people aren't happy with this, its great to be able to share a digital game library at all...
They give people something nice, for free, and people complain. sheesh.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

I'm confused as to why people aren't happy with this

Well, I'll try to clarify. Both my kid and I are gamers. Used to be that I could hand him a disk I was through with for the moment and he could put it on his machine and play. Now we have separate Steam accounts and we have duplicates abounding (about 1/3 of my library). Hey, Steam is great and I don't mind duplicating too much, especially from sales. However, there are times I would like to actually share a unique title. This just does not do it, because every time I signed in to play Title A, he would be closed out from playing Title B or C.

Maybe we need an idea more like a real library, with title transfers 'on loan' for weeks or months at a time.

 

[IKROWNI]

This limitation really ruined what I was hoping to be an awesome update. To the people saying that the ones are complaining are ungrateful. Think of it like this.

I let my friend borrow assassin's Creed. He goes home and pops the disc in and starts playing. While he is playing I go home and put call of duty in and start playing. Now out of nowhere my friend gets a message that he is about to get kicked off assassin's Creed because I'm using call of duty. Does that make much sense to you?

The service is very restrictive and not what I or many others were actually hoping for. It's nice they put out the gesture but it's not really asking much sense how they are employing it.

 

[oldikes]

Well, I'll try to clarify. Both my kid and I are gamers. Used to be that I could hand him a disk I was through with for the moment and he could put it on his machine and play. Now we have separate Steam accounts and we have duplicates abounding (about 1/3 of my library). Hey, Steam is great and I don't mind duplicating too much, especially from sales. However, there are times I would like to actually share a unique title. This just does not do it, because every time I signed in to play Title A, he would be closed out from playing Title B or C.

Maybe we need an idea more like a real library, with title transfers 'on loan' for weeks or months at a time.

I already understood why you werent happy with it, im just confused as to why people are complaining about it, as you didnt have any features like this before. they had no reason to give us this except to be nice....just keep duping games as you did. You have a new feature you didnt have before for free and you are complaining. Its like complaining that you didnt get the christmas present you wanted.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

im just confused as to why people are complaining about it, as you didnt have any features like this ...You have a new feature you didnt have before for free and you are complaining.

I got it now...sorry. was thick. I was complaining because I was hoping Gabe Newell would read it and change it further. The squeeky wheel routine.

 

[oldikes]

I got it now...sorry. was thick. I was complaining because I was hoping Gabe Newell would read it and change it further. The squeeky wheel routine.

I just think its more or less an issue with usage laws or something than its Steam deciding to not give users something they want for no reason, is all.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Game library usage laws? OK, I'm not following.

 

[veLa]

What happens when somebody you've shared with cheats on a VAC secured server? Does your account get banned for that?

 

[cliffordcooley]

What happens when somebody you've shared with cheats on a VAC secured server? Does your account get banned for that?

Without actually knowing, I'll boldly state the following.

It is two independent accounts. One account gaining privileges to install and play games purchased on another account. Only the account in violation is banned, not the account sharing the game.

Perhaps someone could clarify for us.

 

[oldikes]

Without actually knowing, I'll boldly state the following.

It is two independent accounts. One account gaining privileges to install and play games purchased on another account. Only the account in violation is banned, not the account sharing the game.

Perhaps someone could clarify for us.

Will I be punished for any cheating or fraud conducted by other users while playing my games?
Your Family Library Sharing privileges may be revoked and your account may also be VAC banned if your library is used by others to conduct cheating or fraud. Additionally, VAC-banned games cannot be shared. We recommend you only authorize familiar computers you know to be secure. And as always, never give your password to anyone.

 

[cliffordcooley]

@ikesmasher, that lets me know, I don't want anything to do with sharing my library. I will not risk jeopardizing my account's library, for anyone else's dumb-*** conduct. I don't care if it is just the one game that is effected. The only way I could understand this, is if there were multiple hits of misconduct from several accounts withing the same library. And only after being notified of the misconduct against the account.

 

[oldikes]

@ikesmasher, that lets me know, I don't want anything to do with sharing my library. I will not risk jeopardizing my account's library, for anyone else's dumb-*** conduct. I don't care if it is just the one game that is effected. The only way I could understand this, is if there were multiple hits of misconduct from several accounts withing the same library. And only after being notified of the misconduct against the account.

I agree with this - But I think its safe to say Valve only expects people to use this with people they fully trust. But I don't think id use this very often myself.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Trust is quite often broken, even amongst the closest of friends and relatives.

 

[oldikes]

Trust is quite often broken, even amongst the closest of friends and relatives.

I suppose people have varying experiences.

 

[misor]

Only one account can access a shared library at any one time, so even if two users want to play different games, only the person who first accesses the library can play. The owner of the library always has priority access to their collection though, and if they want to use it, anyone else that's accessing it will be prompted to exit the game or buy it themselves.

while this is not a real sharing, it has its uses.
if a steam user is away on a work/vacation/something else, the library can be accessed by someone he authorized.
it's akin to an extended unlimited trial period until the time the owner logs in.
I wonder though how the system works for those users who just leave their computers on all the time.
will the owners need to manually log off from their steam accounts/windows OS/linux OS before the authorized accounts can access their shared libraries?

 

[SirGCal]

I think those reasons alone are why I would share directly with family only. I.E. give my kids the lego games, etc. I think that's how it's intended to be used and WHY I want to use it...

 

[Richy2k9]

Hello ...

I would rather be able to share with at least 1 member & allow me to play same or different games simultaneously, helping me in family online gaming without the necessity to buy two copies of same game ...

anyway, nice feature, let's see if it gets better with time ...

cheers!