So what’s actually new or different about what has already existed for quite a while now?
Introducing Steam Families
Submitted 3 months ago by simple@lemm.ee to games@lemmy.world
Comments
Kolanaki@yiffit.net 3 months ago
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Sharing your games doesn’t lock your entire library when someone is playing a different game than you in the same account.
Dvixen@lemmy.world 3 months ago
We’ve been using it since it came available to test, and is such a lovely change from before. The check out system is so much cleaner than the old locked out of account while someone in the family is playing.
JaN0h4ck@feddit.org 3 months ago
Also leaving a family blocks you from joining another family for one year and the spot will also be blocked for one year
MeekerThanBeaker@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Same household only? Why can’t they just allow a certain number of people in your “family” use it? I have no kids, but I’d like to allow my siblings or in-laws use my games. They live in different cities.
bread@feddit.nl 3 months ago
I really doubt they’ve got an IP lock on place; just set up a Family and invite your siblings and in-laws.
radix@lemmy.world 3 months ago
They do point out that they will be monitoring how it’s used, and could adjust things later.
Sounds like corporate-speak for “if people abuse this, we’ll lock it down harder.”
Even if people are using it to share with actual family around the country, they may get caught up in future updates that remove that feature. Also note that any publisher can opt out of the sharing. If EA or Ubi or some other big company doesn’t like the lack of limits, they may be able to force Valve’s hand in changing the policy.
The idea is wonderful, but there are a ton sof ways this could end up worse than the old system.
PunchingWood@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Because people will absolutely abuse it for other means, like selling shared accounts and what not.
60fpsrefugee@lemm.ee 3 months ago
I don’t think they put a restriction on household Internet IP, just that you can only share with people within your region.
MeekerThanBeaker@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Region meaning country/continent? One of them lives across the country.
shasta@lemm.ee 3 months ago
You can likely use it from different physical locations. But just know that I’m order to set it up, you have to login with your account on their computer at some point to enable the family sharing feature. So unless you go there qnd do it, or remote into their computer to do it, or give them your password, you can’t use that feature. Some level of trust in each other is required.
Sylvartas@lemmy.world 3 months ago
I doubt it, because I think that’s literally how it used to work
firadin@lemmy.world 3 months ago
Because the point of this is to force friends and adult family members to force extra copies of games. Do yall actually think Valve is giving away free game access?
To those who are saying it’s not IP locked: people on reddit are all saying that the newer sign-ups are locked but they didn’t clear older sharing from early beta.