Steam Family Sharing lets users lend game libraries

Steam will soon let users share theꦡir library of games with up to 10 authorized devices via . The new feature announced today will go into beta in "about a week," according to its .

Users can share their libraries with one another by authorizing devices, either remotely by email or in-person via Steam's settings. Once that device is authorized, one friend at a time can access, download, and play any supported game🔯 from the lender's library, unlocking achievements and saving progress the same as if the friend owned it.

But Steam Family Sharing is meant to share libraries as a whole, not individual games. 𝐆Therefore if a "borrowing" user is playing a game when the owner starts playing (the same game or anyᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ other in the shared library), the borrower will be given a few minutes to save his or her progress and either buy the game or quit.

Theoretically, you and a friend could each play the o🌃ther's library as lo𝐆ng as you want. But as soon as one of you wants to play from your own, the other will get booted out.

Also noꦡte that not all Steam games are eligible: those that require an external CD key, account, or subscription are off the table. And all region locks will remain in place, no mattไer who owns what.

Despite the restrictions, it's a promising step for more flexible digital ownership. Join Steam Family Sharing's official group for a chance at a beta𝓰 invite.

I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan🌄 University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and now I'm a staff writer♉ here at GamesRadar.