TECH NEWS – After the Steam update, for example, we will be able to enjoy other users’ libraries even if they are playing…

Steam officially announced a new option: “family groups.” This alternative, currently only available in beta form, replaces “family rental” and “family mode.” It will be a hybrid of the two features, promising a big step forward for users. Special mention should be made of the new library sharing options, which will be much more user-friendly than those known so far.

More ways to share games on Steam

Any Steam user who joins a family group automatically has access to the games of other group members. These will appear at the bottom of their library. During the game, there will be no difference between the titles obtained with the new option and the titles purchased. We will have our own save, results or Workshop files.

It’s a bit like a player lending us the game in physical form, and until they ask it back, it’s ours for all intents and purposes.

The big difference in this new model is that it works much more like physical games. We can now use games from other users’ libraries in our family group. Even if they are currently playing another title. The only limitation is the number of copies. For example, if there are six of us in the household (which is the maximum) and we each have only one copy of Half-Life, then only one person can play Half-Life at a time. If another group member wants to play, we need to buy a second copy.

Not all video games can be shared through the family group option. There are some cases where it just doesn’t make sense, such as titles that depend on a monthly subscription. In addition, developers can exit the program for any reason.

Players should also be careful about sharing their game: if a member of our family group gets banned for cheating with a copy of our game, we get banned, too.

In addition to shared libraries, exciting new parental control options have also appeared. These make life easier for families with young players. It’s still a bit early to tell how well it all works, as the update has only just arrived. In addition, you must register for the Steam beta to try it out. However, on paper, it seems like a more than exciting idea.

Source: GeekWire