Steam Family Sharing
#1
DVD Talk Godfather
Thread Starter
Steam Family Sharing
http://store.steampowered.com/sharing/
Eat your heart out, Microsoft.
Some of the FAQ:
Eat your heart out, Microsoft.
September 11, 2013 - Steam Family Sharing, a new service feature that allows close friends and family members to share their libraries of Steam games, is coming to Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC, Mac, and Linux games and software. The feature will become available next week, in limited beta on Steam.
Steam Family Sharing is designed for close friends and family members to play one another's Steam games while each earning their own Steam achievements and storing their own saves and application data to the Steam cloud. It's all enabled by authorizing a shared computer.
"Our customers have expressed a desire to share their digital games among friends and family members, just as current retail games, books, DVDs, and other physical media can be shared," explained Anna Sweet of Valve. "Family Sharing was created in direct response to these user requests."
Once a device is authorized, the lender's library of Steam games becomes available for others on the machine to access, download, and play. Though simultaneous usage of an account's library is not allowed, the lender may always access and play his games at any time. If he decides to start playing when a friend is borrowing one of his games, the friend will be given a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.
Steam Family Sharing is designed for close friends and family members to play one another's Steam games while each earning their own Steam achievements and storing their own saves and application data to the Steam cloud. It's all enabled by authorizing a shared computer.
"Our customers have expressed a desire to share their digital games among friends and family members, just as current retail games, books, DVDs, and other physical media can be shared," explained Anna Sweet of Valve. "Family Sharing was created in direct response to these user requests."
Once a device is authorized, the lender's library of Steam games becomes available for others on the machine to access, download, and play. Though simultaneous usage of an account's library is not allowed, the lender may always access and play his games at any time. If he decides to start playing when a friend is borrowing one of his games, the friend will be given a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.
How do I enable Family Sharing on my computer?
Family Sharing is enabled in one of two ways: You can either locally enable sharing in Account Settings, with Family Sharing & Devices, or remotely respond to a user’s Steam request to share your previously installed games via email.
Is there a limit to the number of devices I can authorize to share my Library?
Yes. A Steam account may authorize Family Sharing on up to 10 devices at a given time.
Can I share specific games, or do I have to share my whole library?
Libraries are shared and borrowed in their entirety.
Can all Steam games be shared with friends and family?
No, due to technical limitations, some Steam games may be unavailable for sharing. For example, titles that require an additional third-party key, account, or subscription in order to play cannot be shared between accounts.
Can a friend and I share a library and both play at the same time?
No, a shared library may only be accessed by one user at a time.
When I authorize a device to lend my library to others, do I limit my own ability to access and play my games?
As the lender, you may always access and play your games at any time. If you decide to start playing when a friend is already playing one of your games, he/she will be given a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.
Family Sharing is enabled in one of two ways: You can either locally enable sharing in Account Settings, with Family Sharing & Devices, or remotely respond to a user’s Steam request to share your previously installed games via email.
Is there a limit to the number of devices I can authorize to share my Library?
Yes. A Steam account may authorize Family Sharing on up to 10 devices at a given time.
Can I share specific games, or do I have to share my whole library?
Libraries are shared and borrowed in their entirety.
Can all Steam games be shared with friends and family?
No, due to technical limitations, some Steam games may be unavailable for sharing. For example, titles that require an additional third-party key, account, or subscription in order to play cannot be shared between accounts.
Can a friend and I share a library and both play at the same time?
No, a shared library may only be accessed by one user at a time.
When I authorize a device to lend my library to others, do I limit my own ability to access and play my games?
As the lender, you may always access and play your games at any time. If you decide to start playing when a friend is already playing one of your games, he/she will be given a few minutes to either purchase the game or quit playing.
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Steam Family Sharing
So similar to the Family Sharing that was discussed for MS. Interesting.
#7
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Steam Family Sharing
This will probably be on game consoles by the end of 2014. Surprised Nintendo, MS or Sony didn't think of it first. wink/grin emoticon.
#10
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Join Date: Oct 2001
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Re: Steam Family Sharing
But this will never happen! Microsoft would never be so stupid to let people play their digital games for free.
Lol, people are so stupid sometimes. Hopefully the Xbox One adds this feature back in early next year. Still a shame they caved in an changed all their policies, but at least things like this should speed up their process of reimplementation.
Lol, people are so stupid sometimes. Hopefully the Xbox One adds this feature back in early next year. Still a shame they caved in an changed all their policies, but at least things like this should speed up their process of reimplementation.
#11
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#13
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#14
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
#16
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Steam Family Sharing
I KEEL U!!!!!!!! !!@2122112@!!@@!@@!@!@!@die die die~!!!!!!!!!
#19
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Steam Family Sharing
You don't need to be an admin to invite people....
#21
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Steam Family Sharing
Yeah, the only Admin is Joe Molotov... does he even post around here anymore?
#22
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Steam Family Sharing
So yeah, if the X1 plan was just the same than MS gets all the blame for fucking up the messaging. No need getting pissy at gamers who just wanted clear answers from the beginning. If the family sharing was all that and a bag of chips, MS should have been championing it as the #1 feature instead of Kinect and TV.
The blame for its removal falls squarely on MS for it's messaging not gamers for wanting clear answers.
*that's assuming they'd put together a real announcement instead of kinda maybe saying, "yeah you can share games. Goodnight!"
#25
DVD Talk Hero
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Re: Steam Family Sharing
Yup. Corvin is right. MS left us to speculate, and that obviously didn't work in their favor. I bet Steam saw what they were trying to do, and said, "Yeah, we can do that too."
Last edited by Dan; 09-11-13 at 05:41 PM.