Originally posted by AMiGO:

Make Sharing Games Easier – Temporary Access for Friends

Hi everyone,

I’ve been thinking about Steam Family Sharing and how strict it can sometimes be. In my family, we have 6 members and multiple copies of some games — for example, 4 copies of PEAK. Great, right? But not everyone uses them, and some avoid playing intentionally.

Here’s my idea: a “Game Invitation” system. It would allow a member to give a friend temporary access to download and play a specific game from the family’s extra copies. The invitation would have a time limit or expiration, which can be extended or revoked anytime.

Some simple rules:

Each invitation can be sent to only one person per game.

Access is always to one of the family’s extra copies

This could make sharing more practical, flexible, and fun, while still respecting Steam rules.

What do you all think?

Until you realize that people want to share with randoms all over the forums and it turns into a begging spree because no one wants to pay for the games.

I don't think you understand why the limitations of Family Sharing exist, they weren't decided accidentally, or absent mindedly.

You don't seem to realize Family Sharing isn't meant to be a free for all, to share games and ignore all other concerns. You're viewing the limitations as something to be fixed, rather than deliberate decisions designed to prevent what you want to do.

Hey, I get your point about potential negatives like begging. Unfortunately, we can’t prevent a lot of things, not just begging, but that shouldn’t stop us from having such a useful feature in one way or another!

The main benefit is for playing with friends, your spouse, or family. You won’t have to force anyone to buy a game just to play a few hours and then leave it unused. This system would let you share extra copies safely, making it practical and avoiding wasted money.

Wouldn’t that make Family Sharing way more enjoyable?

Originally posted by AMiGO:

Hey, I get your point about potential negatives like begging. Unfortunately, we can’t prevent a lot of things, not just begging, but that shouldn’t stop us from having such a useful feature in one way or another!

The main benefit is for playing with friends, your spouse, or family. You won’t have to force anyone to buy a game just to play a few hours and then leave it unused. This system would let you share extra copies safely, making it practical and avoiding wasted money.

Wouldn’t that make Family Sharing way more enjoyable?

Family Sharing is not sharing with friends.

It's literally in the name, "Family" Sharing.

Originally posted by nullable:

I understand why Family Sharing has limitations, and I realize they weren’t accidental — they are deliberate decisions by Steam.

However, my suggestion isn’t meant to bypass these rules or create a “free-for-all” system. It’s focused on improving sharing within trusted friends or family, using extra copies that already exist in the library

It would be massively abused so its completely impractical. Family sharing needs the restrictions to limit abuse or dev's will opt out of sharing in general. All those restrictions are needed to make it possible

Restrictions are needed to prevent bad actors and to protect developers

Originally posted by AMiGO:

I understand why Family Sharing has limitations, and I realize they weren’t accidental — they are deliberate decisions by Steam.

However, my suggestion isn’t meant to bypass these rules or create a “free-for-all” system. It’s focused on improving sharing within trusted friends or family, using extra copies that already exist in the library

Well, it doesn't matter how you want to frame it to sound reasonable. If Valve and publishers/developers wanted to enable you to easily share "extra licenses" that would be a feature already. It's not, because they don't. Their goal isn't to make sure every idle license can potentially be used. It's to sell games.

You have to look at what Family Sharing does, in large part it's there to discourage users from direct account sharing, which is a terrible idea. Family Sharing is a compromise to give users some utility and to help them keep their accounts secure. It offers you some utility and convenience. But not necessarily do whatever you want, with whom ever you want. And ultimately that's what your suggestion is, "I want to do more stuff, and I'm not thinking about any other concerns or decisions outside of that."

I mean what makes you think Valve wants to improve sharing within trusted friends or family? That's what Family Sharing is already for. It sounds like you want the option to be able to share with people outside the Family Sharing group, Valve explicitly doesn't want you to, which is why the current limitations on Family Group size exist.

Originally posted by Truth:

It I understand your concern about potential abuse and why Steam imposes strict Family Sharing rules. However, you seem to assume that any flexibility would automatically lead to massive abuse, which isn’t necessarily true.

The system I’m proposing has built-in safeguards:
• Only extra copies already owned can be shared.
• One invitation per game, per person.
• Temporary access with expiration, renewal, or revocation.

These rules directly address the abuse concerns you mention, while still allowing practical sharing between trusted friends or family.

So, it’s not about removing restrictions — it’s about optimizing what’s already possible without breaking the intent of Family Sharing. In fact, such a system could make developers more comfortable with sharing, not less, because it keeps usage controlled and transparent.

No. You do not get to share with "friends". Valve will not enable you to rent, lease or loan out your games.

Also, stop using AI and start using your brain.

Terrible idea.

Originally posted by AMiGO:

It I understand your concern about potential abuse and why Steam imposes strict Family Sharing rules. However, you seem to assume that any flexibility would automatically lead to massive abuse, which isn’t necessarily true.

History has shown this to be true, people already sell access to accounts NOW, so making it easier will result in wide spread abuse.

Originally posted by AMiGO:

The system I’m proposing has built-in safeguards:
• Only extra copies already owned can be shared.

That isn't a safeguard. People will sell access to them

Originally posted by AMiGO:

• One invitation per game, per person.

Again, not an safeguard, that is how people sell games now

Originally posted by AMiGO:

• Temporary access with expiration, renewal, or revocation.

Same as above

Your idea has been mentioned before repeatedly. Its heavily prone to people using it to rent out access to games, the restrictions you propose are nothing that would stop this. It would basically result in people posting lists of games saying $X and i'll send you an invite to play this game.

Family sharing is heavily restricted to get the dev's to buy into this. Your idea is so easy to abuse the dev's wont support it.

Originally posted by Ettanin:

I see your point but let’s be clear using Ai here isn’t about replacing thinking it’s about organizing my ideas clearly so more people can understand them If that annoys you that’s your problem

As for your advice no worries you can go back to your cave, my friend

No, because "Family sharing" is for Family members in the same household. NOT Friends. Your friends can buy their own copies of the games if they want to play them.

Originally posted by AMiGO:

For me, it’s a great concept.

Sure, its great for you, so is developers giving you games for free. Great for you doesn't make an idea good. In order to be able to be used there has to be restrictions in place like not playing multiple games at once, cooldowns, limits to how many can participate etc.

I mean imagine you made a game and steam told you, "Hey, i know your trying to sell copies of your games but we are going to let people share copies of your game with other people so they can play and beat your game without having to pay you for your product."

It won't go over well.

Originally posted by AMiGO:

Anyone starting with Family Share is bound to make the mistake of joining inactive members — I fell into that exact problem myself.

That isn't even possible as you need to be invited to join a family and there is no such thing as an inactive member, as the game share is permanent as long as you are joined.

Also please use quotes correctly, you are making it seem like i'm saying your responses which is false.

Originally posted by AMiGO:

For me, it’s a great concept. I own 185 games, there are many extra copies in my family, and almost nobody answers the call to play.

You don't know how to quote people properly, please try to learn how.

Also, the system isn't just for "you" and it isn't anyone's fault your family doesn't want to play with you or the games you choose.