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Steam Families lets eligible members of a family group access games owned by one another, each on their own Steam account. Remote Play Together lets one player host a supported local multiplayer game and invite remote friends to join a streamed session—even if those friends do not own or launch the game. One feature shares access to a library; the other shares a game session.
What Steam Family Sharing lets you do now
Steam’s current family library system is called Steam Families. It replaced the former Steam Family Sharing and Family View systems; Steam announced the change on March 18, 2024. Steam’s announcement explains the transition, while the Steam Families User Guide & FAQ sets out current operating rules.
Access is shared; ownership is not
A Steam Family can have up to six members and is intended for close family members in a household. Members can access eligible games in the family’s shared library, but purchases stay in the purchaser’s own collection. When someone plays a shared game, they use their own Steam account, so achievements are associated with that account. Save handling depends on the game.
Different games can be played at the same time
Family members can play different games from one another’s libraries concurrently. To play the same title simultaneously, the family needs enough copies of that game: each person playing at once needs a separate copy available. Steam’s support FAQ illustrates the distinction with Portal 2 and Half-Life.
#1 Best Overall
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
Check eligibility and DLC before relying on access
Not every title can be shared. Steam lists exclusions that include games requiring an additional third-party key, account or subscription; free-to-play games and their purchased DLC; regional or operating-system restrictions; publisher opt-outs; and games an owner has marked private. Shareable DLC may be available when its owner has it, but publisher settings or differences in the members’ DLC can affect compatibility. Offline play is possible only when the particular game supports Family Sharing.
What Remote Play Together lets you do
Remote Play Together is for supported local multiplayer games. The host launches and runs the game, then invites Steam friends to join remotely. Guests do not need to own the game or start it themselves. Steam advertises up to four additional players, with more possible on fast connections.
The host streams the session
Steam streams game video and audio and carries voice between participants. Each participant can use their own controller. The host can manage whether guests are allowed to share keyboard and mouse input. The game itself must support Remote Play Together, and Steam advises that a fast internet connection helps provide low-latency streaming. It does not publish a specific speed or latency guarantee on its Remote Play page.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
Rank #4
- 512 GB NVMe SSD: Fast storage for quicker game load times and space for larger game libraries.
- OLED Display: 1200x800 resolution with deep contrasts and vibrant colors for a captivating visual experience.
- Custom AMD APU: Power-efficient Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 GPU for desktop-level gaming performance.
- Expandable Storage: Add more space with a microSD card slot, ensuring you can bring even more games with you.
- Versatile Controls: With built-in thumbsticks, trackpads, and touchscreen controls, you have full control over your gaming experience.
Rank #3
- 【Upgraded】We sells product with professionally upgraded to 2TB SSD. Original Seal is opened for upgrade ONLY.
- 【Stunning 7.4" HDR OLED & 90Hz Motion】 Experience striking contrast and brilliant clarity with the all-new 7.4-inch HDR OLED display. Designed from the ground up for gaming, it features a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth motion and pure blacks. This handheld is capable of delivering an immersive visual experience, ensuring your Steam library looks better than ever with vibrant colors and amazing motion rendition.
- 【30-50% More Battery & Efficient Performance】 Play your favorites longer with up to 50% more battery life. By fitting a larger battery and a power-efficient OLED panel, this device provides extended gameplay sessions. It’s the perfect travel companion for long flights or commutes. The updated AMD APU ensures high-speed performance for AAA titles while maintaining incredible energy efficiency.
- 【3X Faster Downloads with Wi-Fi 6E】 Never wait for a game again. Equipped with Wi-Fi 6E, this Steam Deck OLED offers increased bandwidth and lower latency, delivering downloads up to 3 times faster than previous models. This ensures stable online play and rapid updates, making it the most reliable wireless gaming handheld for modern high-speed home networks.
- 【Responsive Touch & Enhanced Connectivity】 Enjoy a vastly improved touchscreen with higher fidelity and faster haptics. We’ve added a dedicated Bluetooth antenna to improve connections for multiple controllers. Whether using the built-in trackpads or the included external controller, this allows for precision play in everything from FPS to complex strategy games.
How the features compare
| Question | Steam Families | Remote Play Together |
|---|---|---|
| What is shared? | Access to eligible games owned by family members | A host-run local multiplayer game session streamed to remote friends |
| Who owns or runs the game? | The purchaser keeps ownership; a family member launches an eligible shared game on their own account | The host owns or otherwise has access to and runs the game |
| Does a guest need to own the game? | No, if the game is eligible and available in the family library | No; invited friends do not need to own or launch it |
| Who is it for? | Close family members in a household using a Steam Family | Steam friends joining a supported local multiplayer game remotely |
| Can people play at once? | Different library games can be played concurrently; simultaneous play of the same title depends on the number of copies | Participants join the host’s shared session; Steam advertises up to four additional players, with more possible on fast connections |
| Key limits | Game eligibility, family membership, copy count for the same title, and possible DLC restrictions | Game support, host availability, input setup, and connection quality |
Which one should you use?
- Choose Steam Families when family members want access to eligible games in one another’s libraries and will play under their own accounts.
- Choose Remote Play Together when you want remote friends to join a supported local multiplayer game that one person can host.
- Before using Steam Families, check that the exact game is shareable, whether another family member needs to play it at the same time, and whether the relevant DLC is compatible.
- Before using Remote Play Together, confirm that the game supports the feature, the host can run it, and everyone has a suitable controller or input arrangement and a reliable connection.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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