Steam :: Introducing Steam Families

Family Sharing enables you to play games from other family members' libraries, even if they are online playing another game. If your family library has multiple copies of a game, multiple members of the family can play that game at the same time.

Well this is exceptionally exciting. This potentially solves 100% of my complaints with Family Sharing as it exists currently.

Its shit like this why I want to smack the "B-BUT STEAMS MONOPOLY" types who claim Steam does nothing with its 30%. Steam is one of the only companies out their in our late stage capitalist society that actually does things for its customer base without being forced to. We have digital refunds, completely remappable controllers, a linux operating system and portable computer that functions as a console when you dont want to use it as a computer, the only DRM in the world that doesnt actively suck, built in mod database/support, VR, official early access marketplace support (I know it has its issues), user game reviews with multiple sorting options, and thats everything I can currently think of. Steam is not only the only company I dont actively hate (Ok, I kind of like Costco too), vut I actually quite like Steam as a company.

My adult children will be ecstatic for my new ability to set their playtime limits and see reports.

This is pretty fantastic. I have two kids that I share with, and when one plays any game from my library currently, my entire library gets locked out from the other kid. Changing this to a game by game basis makes so much more sense.

If a family member gets banned for cheating while playing your copy of a game, you (the game owner) will also be banned in that game.

This is going to be hilarious. Can't wait to see the whining online.

BuT wHy iS eVeRyOnE RiDiNg sTeAm'S DiCK? ThEy aRe A mOnOpOlY!!11!!!

- Some fuckwits

Optimist me: Steam looking into curating the next generation of customers.

Pessimist me: child protection laws made it too much of a headache for Steam to monetize the kids.

Who can be in a Steam Family?

While we know that families come in many shapes and sizes, Steam Families is intended for a household of up to 6 close family members.

To that end, as we monitor the usage of this feature, we may adjust the requirements for participating in a Steam Family or the number of members over time to keep usage in line with this intent.

This sounds like they are going to limit usage to geo-locational. Or that's just supposition by me but I don't see any other things this would target.

This is exactly what I've been waiting for. My son is 13 and we share a Steam library. It's not usually an issue but sometimes he does want to play something that requires online connection at the same time as me. Now that problem should be permanently in the past.

Even if he moves out in who knows how many years he can still take all his games with him. This is why I never feel guilty about spending money on Steam/Valve; I know that as long as GabeN lives, I won't get stabbed in the back.

While it’s perhaps morbid, could there ever be a feature of Steam Inheritance? Eg, a person owns many thousands of dollars in games, passes away, and has a family that might like access to them.

Has some legal difficulties where you’d need to verify identity and have contact with lawyers to execute it, so it’s not exactly a software problem.

Sadly it doesn't seem to add the possibility of whitelisting/blacklisting games. I do not want to share porn & VAC games, not even with adults, since the bans are shared to the account actually owning the game.

This is so amazing I'm wondering how on earth they got publishers on board with this. I guess technically they don't need their permission, but I see some hilariously oversized coffee mugs being thrown across board rooms in anger after reading this announcement.

This is good

and

I wish it was easier to manage multiple steam account on a single computer because some of us have more family than devices

Can a family have more than two adults?

time limits are a super cool way to maximize addiction

Ok now this is exciting news!!

game sharing

Do family members have to be in the same residence, or can they be in different locations?

Edit: never mind got my answer from this comment.