The American company Valve has started testing the “Family Groups” feature in the digital distribution service Steam, which combines some previously existing functions including Steam Family Sharing and family view, as well as adding new ones. The updated features can currently be tested only in the beta version of the application.
“Family Groups” will provide users from the same region with shared access to games whose developers have allowed this function. Users can also choose between being an adult or a child, and adults can set parental controls to restrict children’s access to chat, community, and the Steam store.
Furthermore, it will be possible to control children’s game time, including approving or denying requests for additional time. Children will have the ability to send purchase requests to their parents. A family group can consist of up to six people.
Earlier in Steam, the option to hide games from friends was introduced. Additionally, the shopping cart has been improved: it is now unified across all devices authorized by the user.