Steam is overhauling how the Family Library works. This should make it easier to share your games with other people in the future. All important information at a glance.
The family library itself is not new. However, it now has a few new features and at the same time certain restrictions are no longer applicable. It will finally be possible for more than one person to access the library and play a game at the same time.
Up to six members can then become part of a Steam family and play the games from the library in parallel. For example, while one person is making Night City unsafe in “Cyberpunk 2077,” another person can be hunting nasty wizards in “Hogwarts Legacy.” So you no longer have to coordinate as much as before. However, the same game can only be shared with several people if there are several copies of it.
Individual members receive their own saves, earn their own Steam Achievements, and have sole access to Workshop items. You can check whether a game supports the functionality of the family library here.
More safety for children
As the name suggests, the family library is primarily intended for sharing games with your family. Accordingly, there are also certain functions that enable parents to control their children’s use.
This allows you to determine, among other things, which games children can play and for how long. In addition, access to the Steam shop, the community and chat with friends can be restricted. Children, on the other hand, can make a purchase request directly on Steam, which ultimately only has to be processed by one parent.
Finally, two important notes: According to Steam, the family library is only intended for members who live in the same household. And once a family member is banned for cheating in a game, the ban also applies to all other members. So you should think carefully about who you want to share your game library with.
To test the Steam Family, you must sign up for the Steam Family Beta. All invited family members must also participate in the beta.
In the Steam client, click on “Steam” in the top left and select “Settings” from the menu. In the Interface tab, click the selection menu under the Client Beta Participation option. Select “Steam Family Beta” from the drop-down list. Then restart Steam.
Source: Steam