Steam unveils enhanced family sharing features for simultaneous gameplay

The new system eliminates previous restrictions, allowing multiple users to play games from one library simultaneously.

Under the old setup, users were kicked out of a game if another family member launched a different title. Now, users can enjoy separate games concurrently without interruption.

To access the new features, users must join the beta program and create a family group through their account settings. Each account can share a library with up to five family members, with no specified limit on authorized devices, unlike the previous cap of 10. Furthermore, offline play is now supported, addressing a previous limitation requiring online connectivity for shared games.

Parental controls have also been enhanced, enabling parents to manage children's game access, monitor playtime, and set time-based restrictions more conveniently. Additionally, purchasing games for kids has been streamlined, eliminating the need for gift cards or credit card transfers. Parents can now approve game requests directly, with charges applied to their account.

Parental controls have also been enhanced, enabling parents to manage children's game access, monitor playtime, and set time-based restrictions more conveniently. Additionally, purchasing games for kids has been streamlined, eliminating the need for gift cards or credit card transfers. Parents can now approve game requests directly, with charges applied to their account.