Valve has launched a new feature «Family Groups» on Steam that allows families to share games, manage parental controls, and approve game purchase requests.
The new feature replaces the Steam Family Library and Family Mode.
Family groups allow family members to play different games from a shared library at the same time. For example, if one user is playing Balatro, another family member can enjoy Arranger at the same time. However, if several people want to run the same game at the same time, additional copies will have to be purchased separately. An important advantage of the new system is the ability to play joint games offline.
Valve has set a limit on the number of family group members — up to six close relatives. Each family member will have their own saves and achievements in the games. Adult users are free to leave the family group, but rejoining will be possible only after a year. Children can be removed from the group only by adults or Steam support.
More information about family groups can be found at read on a separate page on Steam.
The company plans to gradually phase out the old Family Sharing system. Users who are still using it are advised to switch to the new «Family Group» feature. To do this, just update the Steam client to the latest version.
Along with the introduction of family groups, Valve has released a number of other updates to its client. Among them — an updated screenshot manager that provides users with more convenient tools for managing screenshots.
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